


Pretender to the Throne

by DoctorpooandtheTURDIS



Series: Go, Go, Godzilla [6]
Category: Godzilla - All Media Types, Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019), Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:56:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28861428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS/pseuds/DoctorpooandtheTURDIS
Summary: After a long stretch of time not seeing her friends from Hawkins, El and the Party take a trip to New York. However, their relaxing excursion soon takes a turn for the dangerous as an enormous sea monster similar to Godzilla makes landfall in the city, and begins its rampage.But the monster isn't the only problem the group faces. With the stress finally getting to her, El decides to call it quits with Mike......not knowing that she's playing into the plans of forces far outside her control.
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Godzilla (Legendary | MonsterVerse)/Madison Russell, Will Byers/Eleven | Jane Hopper
Series: Go, Go, Godzilla [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045095
Comments: 14
Kudos: 8





	1. The Void Watchers

The Queen floated in the void, stirring in her own anger and longing to be out of this place. Next to her, floated her King, in a chrysalis of crystal. Through the cloudy, milky diamond, she could see him curled up, in what appeared to be sleep, as his body slowly metamorphized from flesh to stone.

His scales became tiny rough, sharp bumps like the inside of an amethyst geode, while out of his shoulders protruded two thick and tall crystal stalagmites. Even his dorsal spines, which had been shattered by his fight with Godzilla, rejuvenated anew, becoming lots of tiny crystals clustered together in arrangements mimicking his plates.

Jane smiled, taking pride in her work, as she placed her hand on the smooth exterior of the crystalis. Her King was going to return, stronger and tougher than ever before, with a whole new arsenal of abilities to turn against those who’d imprisoned them there.

Speaking of them… Jane turned her attention back to the outside, El’s World, as she had deemed it. Jane had since lost interest in returning back home, now, it was all a desire to get into El’s World and take it for herself, just as El had ripped Jane’s entire world out from under her.

She hadn’t given up in her goals. She and El _would_ become family, whether El liked it or not.

A scene materialized in the black void, and Jane watched it with curiosity. El was at a ham radio, sitting in the chair and talking to someone.

 _“…I can’t wait until the summer.”_ El said, holding supporting her head in her hands. _“I have to see you guys.”_

 _“I can talk to my mom,”_ The voice of Mike Wheeler replied, and Jane felt a portion of the crystalis crack from her mental smack to it upon hearing the bastard’s voice. _“All of us here have already got the money saved up, we’re just waiting for the summer cause of school, you know? Maybe we can push the trip up, make it a weekend thing.”_

 _“You can!?”_ El excitedly asked, causing Jane to roll her eyes. Mike Wheeler was a disappointment, if only El could realize that. _“That’s great!”_

 _“I mean, it’s not a promise.”_ Yep, there it was. _“But… I_ might _be able to talk my mom into letting me go early, and the rest of us probably can.”_ A faint voice muttered to him away from the microphone. _“I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you in New York, hopefully.”_

El smiled, and Jane’s face twisted in disgust. _“I’ll see you too.”_

“Eugh.” Jane rolled her eyes, pushing the scene away.

Next to her, her King’s human feeler form materialized, standing there with his jaw set sternly at where the scene had been. He looked just like he had back when he’d been human, face wise. But the rest of him, however… he was built like a truck.

No longer was he Will Byers. He was Gojira, King of Destruction.

“Spying again?” He asked, and she could see Gojira’s actual body twitching in the crystal cocoon keeping him safe.

Jane glanced at him, and away. “You shouldn’t be using your energy like that. It slows your metamorphosis.”

“I don’t care.” The human form of her king stepped behind her, looping her arms around and placing his head on her shoulders. “What are our counterparts up to this time?” He murmured into her ear.

“They’re planning a trip to New York.” Jane answered, causing the corners of Gojira’s lips to tilt up.

“Ah, New York… The afterparty of that one was particularly fun.” Gojira chuckled. “I have to admit, you got… creative with the use of the scales on my snout. Although… things here are way more fun now, wouldn’t you agree?” He whispered, warm breath tickling her skin as his hands danced around.

Jane huffed, rolling her eyes, putting a stop to it before it could go any further. “Now’s not the time.”

“Alright…” Gojira dejectedly muttered, looking at her. “This is bothering you. Why?”

“That trip to New York…” Jane scowled. “Mike Wheeler’s going with her.”

“Mike Wheeler, New York…” Gojira harrumphed. “Funny how history repeats.”

“Yes, isn’t it?” Jane looked to the scene. “…You know, I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh?” Gojira raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

“Mike is very clearly the one person holding her back.” Jane muttered to herself. “I mean, look at me… before I was nothing more than a scared brat trying to survive… then I killed our version of Mike, and look at me now.” She gestured. “Queen of Destruction.”

“Oh, I see…” Gojira’s eyes twinkled. “You want to kill her Mike so she’ll come running to you.”

“That obvious?” Jane asked in response, turning to look at him. “…What’s the matter with you? I thought you thought this was a waste of time?”

“I do.” Gojira answered. “But you are my Queen, my one love… I will support you in whatever you do.”

Jane smiled, leaning into him. “Thank you.” She looked away from him, as a view of Mike in his basement materialized, and Jane fought to keep herself from wasting all her power trying to lash out at him through the void. “Now… how shall we do it?”

“If you kill him through the void,” Gojira told her, rumbling in a way that made Jane feel like she was sitting in a massage chair, “El _will_ know it was something unusual. She might find a way to trace it back and kill us when we can’t fight back.”

“You’re right…” Jane agreed, though she obviously wasn’t happy about that admission. “We need something different, something more… sudden and cataclysmic. Like a natural disaster.”

“Good thinking.” Gojira rumbled. “Volcanoes are off the table, however. Hurricanes don’t hit Indiana. And he can hide from a tornado…”

“Hm…” Jane refocused her attention. “What about… this?” Out of the void, a silhouette materialized.

The thing looked like a giant Tyrannosaurus, or Velociraptor, or perhaps a bit of both, and it was swimming in the ocean. Great, spiky spines jutted from its back, and a massive set of gills ran down both sides of its long neck. The beast was covered in scales, and Gojira couldn’t be certain if the monstrosity was a very dark reddish-brown, or a bluer-green color.

“What is that?” Gojira inquired, looking to Jane for an explanation.

“It’s a very unique lady.” Jane answered, looking at the animal with admiration. “She used to be a Komodo Dragon, but then she mutated into… that.” She glanced at her king. “And you know something interesting? She manifested abilities like yours.”

Gojira looked intrigued, looking to the animal with similarly budding admiration. “Really?”

Jane nodded. “Amphibious traits, atomic breath… She’s weaker, and smaller, but she makes up for it. She’s faster, more maneuverable.”

“Maybe not a perfect threat to my counterpart…” Gojira rumbled, before a sinister smile warped his face. “But even the biggest person can have trouble with the smallest dogs.” He looked to Jane. “What are you thinking?”

“Well, since we know that they’re planning a trip to New York…” Jane led with that, and Gojira chuckled. “I can nudge our… ‘Not-Zilla’ in their direction, and then…”

“The city becomes a killing ground.” Gojira finished. “What do you say, my lady?” He offered her his hand. “Shall we?”

Jane grasped it, grinning, as she reached out a mental tendril to make contact.

The mutant animal suddenly stopped, shaking her head in confusion, before she found a new drive within her. An instinct to get somewhere as fast as possible.

And nothing could stop her.

\------------

It was a long few days while Mike tried to get things set up so the trip to New York could be pushed up. It took a _lot_ of convincing, but after he’d told his mom they’d be chaperoned the entire time (conveniently leaving out the detail that said chaperone was the world-famous King of the Monsters), and agreeing to a basic list of rules, Karen had finally relented.

The others had even managed to convince their parents into relenting. Surprisingly, even Max. Then again, Neil Hargrove didn’t have any say in her life anymore, so that made sense.

When the day finally came, El was so excited she had packed all her bags the night before, and was unable to sleep from the sheer levels of anticipation running through her veins. When the alarm clock went off, El was on her feet in seconds, grabbing her bags, quickly getting dressed to head outside.

Before she could go join up with Godzilla, however, she was stopped by Joyce.

“Are you sure you have everything?” Joyce worriedly pressed.

“Yes.” El nodded.

“Your money?” Joyce asked.

“ _Yes_.” El stressed.

“Your toothbrush?” Joyce continued.

El huffed, rolling her eyes. _“Mom.”_

“Okay, okay…” Joyce laid off it, pulling El into a hug. “Have fun and be safe. Don’t do anything stupid, and if your brother gets into a fight, remember to get to cover, alright?”

“Alright.” El acquiesced, smiling as she left to go meet up with Godzilla.

“And call me when you get there!” Joyce ordered, as El disappeared down the hallway.

Joyce sighed, flopping down on the couch. New York wasn’t _that_ far from Castle Bravo, but still. Maddie had just gone through the whole kidnapping mess with Brenner.

Sue her for being worried.

\---------

“Alright!” El called as she approached Godzilla’s den.

The ground rumbled and the foliage shook as Godzilla emerged, stretching. Maddie, as usual, was by his side. Or rather, _on_ his side, before being let down gently.

Mothra and Rodan (who very much looked like he didn’t even want to be _awake_ let alone here to see them off) descended from the skies, landing at a distance so they could see and communicate, but not too close to be right up on the others.

“Are you _sure_ I can’t come?” Maddie asked.

 _“Sorry, Mads, but we already pushed our luck once sneaking to that pet store on the mainland, and you got kidnapped cause of it.”_ Godzilla rumbled. _“I don’t want to give your dad an excuse to be pissy at me more than he already is.”_

“Yeah, yeah, whatever…” Maddie sighed, looking up to him. “It won’t be long, will it? You know I can’t stand you being away for too long.”

Rodan coughed. _“If I wanted to watch people being sappy, I would’ve turned on a soap opera.”_

El shot him a look, and the enormous firebird immediately stepped down, before she turned to Maddie. “Just a couple of days.”

“Alright…” Maddie reluctantly sighed. “Just keep him out of trouble, okay?” She requested, hugging El goodbye. “And tell your friends I said hi.”

“Got it.” El turned to Mothra. “See you soon, Mothra!” She waved, as she stepped into Godzilla’s hand, being lifted up to his head.

Mothra chittered serenely. “I will see you soon as well, little one.” She cooed, wrapping El in a warm, gentle mental embrace. “I hope you enjoy your excursion.”

El smiled, as Godzilla began to march into the ocean. He dove forward, hitting the water, and El kept steady as the countless gallons were displaced. Godzilla’s paddling began to speed up, and soon, they were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	2. Mike Wheeler Must Die

_“Ah, the big apple.”_ Godzilla rumbled in remark, walking as slowly as he could through the water approaching Manhattan. As he approached, he noticed the citizens of New York flying into a wild frenzy as though they had spotted a celebrity, and Godzilla began to drink it all up like water.

El’s jaw dropped in wonder as she looked at the island, and the rest of New York surrounding it. “It’s so… _big_.” She noted, never having seen a city so large in her life. The closest thing that came to it was the Tokyo in the mirror universe, and she didn’t count that because it was already in the middle of being leveled by Gojira when they’d made their arrival.

 _“It’s the great multicultural center of America.”_ Godzilla replied. _“It has to be big.”_

El peeked over the edge of Godzilla’s snout, looking around, trying to see to the ground far, far below. Most of the buildings came up to Godzilla’s height, and were packed so close together that he dare not wade onto land.

“Where are they?” El asked, trying to see the Party. They had arranged everything so they _would_ arrive first, and all Godzilla had to do was drop off El and come back to pick her up.

 _“Hmm…”_ Godzilla looked around for some moments, before his hypersensitive eyes detected the figures standing gathered around the Unisphere, waving at him intently. The corners of his mouth tilted up, and he carefully walked through the park, taking care not to crush _anything_ underfoot.

“Oh my God, hey guys!” El excitedly waved back, as Godzilla let her down. She was on her feet in an instant, running over to the group, becoming smothered in a big group hug. Even Steve was there. “Oh, I missed you guys so much!”

Godzilla’s heart was warmed by the sight, and he chuckled, standing with his arms crossed.

“ _Jesus_ …” Steve breathed, looting at the enormous lifeform standing over them. “He’s gotten huge!”

El pulled back from the group slightly, glancing up at Godzilla. “Monarch says it’s because of all the… radio-active stuff he eats.” She turned back to them. “But don’t worry about him! I missed you guys!” She said, squeezing all of them at once.

Mike, despite the crushing pressure, smiled. “We missed you too, El.”

Max practically pushed him aside as she got in front of El, looking to her curiously. “How are things on that oil rig? God, it must be so boring.”

“It’s good!” El radiantly smiled. “I met Mothra, she’s really pretty for being a giant moth, and there’s also Rodan, who’s a flaming… Pter… Pter… dinosaur. I taught him how to play cards!”

“Okay,” Dustin giggled, “That’s awesome. What’d you start out with? Go fish? Blackjack? Poker?”

El shook her head. “Gin Rummy. He won, so I let him keep his hands.”

The group blankly blinked, looking at her inquisitively.

“…That was a joke.” El finally said.

“Huh, joke, yeah…” Steve awkwardly laughed. “Good one.” The air suddenly stirred, and the ground rumbled as Godzilla entered motion.

The enormous mutant seemed to have a displeasured look on his face, and his eyes were narrowed as he looked out to the ocean, sniffing the air.

Lucas frowned, looking as the giant reptile began to march back into the water. “What’s he doing?”

El turned around to look, eyebrows furrowing curiously as Godzilla moved as fast as he could down the east river into the bay, before sinking underwater past the Statue of Liberty.

“He’s not leaving, is he?” Mike inquired.

Truthfully speaking, El couldn’t be sure. Judging by Godzilla’s mannerisms, he seemed to be on a mission, but he wouldn’t just leave without saying goodbye, would he? Unless, there was imminent danger that had to be dealt with now, but he’d at least give them some indication to get to safety before going off to head whatever threat was at hand.

Then again, if it was a threat, judging by the way Godzilla was swimming out into the ocean, it must’ve been far enough away not to be a problem for the humans.

So, El merely shrugged in response. “Don’t know. He’ll probably be back soon, though. So!” She turned to the group with a smile. “What do we do first? I hear Coney Island is fun! There’s food around here! We could go see all the famous landmarks and-“

“I,” Steve stated, “Have been up since two in the morning driving across state lines.” He stated, taking the lead as he walked back to where he’d parked. “The first thing we’re doing is finding the goddamn hotel… Well, what’re you guys waiting for!?” He directed to the teenagers who were still stood still. “Come on, shitheads!”

The rest of them sighed, shaking their heads, but acquiesced as they followed Steve.

Mike was, very obviously, miffed at having his chance to set up what basically amounted to a date with El snatched away, but the girl herself didn’t care.

She was just glad to be with her friends again.

\--------

“Oh…” Jane tilted her head with a slight smile, watching the scene unfold. “How lovely…” She watched as her double intertwined hands with Mike, and scowled, face twisting with rage at the mere sight of the teenager’s face. “And there he is.” She watched as, from her perspective, Mike already started trying to take control away from El, outlining _his_ plans for the day, without asking El what she thought and just expecting him to go along with it. “How did I ever start thinking he was the best example that humanity had to offer?”

God, she hated him so much. Such a… smug, superior ass with a face that perfectly suited itself to punching. She was glad she killed her version of him, but the fact that there was another version out there running around, living, ticked her off to no extreme.

There he stood, the one ultimately responsible for her King’s tortured existence, displaying no guilt for the actions he’d wrought. It pissed her off too, the fact that El was constantly attached to his side.

Couldn’t El see that Mike was just using her like all the rest? Jane had cottoned onto the fact that Lucas’s words about Mike only protecting her because she wasn’t a girl disgusted by him not long after she and Gojira had ended him, and if only El could get her mind free of the hormonal urges plaguing her, surely she would see it too.

Friends, boyfriends, whatever… Those things would end eventually. The group would eventually come to a fork they could not keep together at and fall apart.

But Jane and El had more than that. They were identical, the same person up to a point. Theirs was a tie stronger than blood, shared experiences, save for everything that happened after the two diverged.

All El needed was to be broken free of Mike’s spell, then she would see. See that Jane was right. That this family Jane was trying to forge for herself was something El needed. After that… who knows.

Since El had proven there were different versions of the world out there, Jane might take up a new hobby. Finding all the different Eleven/Jane Iveses of the cosmos and bringing them into their family would be something amazing, surely. An Infinite Family, all the same person, who understood, who cared… who’d never betray each other.

Plus, it gave her an excuse to seek out and kill Mike over, and over, and over again for all eternity. Jane’s own personal heaven.

She got giddy just thinking about it. Once the mutant-

Wait, full stop. Jane couldn’t just keep calling her the mutant. That just wouldn’t be proper. Like calling a favored canine companion ‘dog’ and nothing else.

“She needs a name.” Jane decided, looking to Gojira for assistance.

 _“…Name it whatever you want, dear.”_ Gojira replied, like a long-tired husband.

“Hm…” Jane turned to the image of the mutant in the water. The living incarnation of her plan, her desire, moving to act on her behalf. She grinned. “Millicent.”

Gojira’s mind radiated intrigue. _“German, right?”_

“Yes.” Jane confirmed, looking with proud eyes to her living weapon. “It means ‘strong in work.’ My strong, steadfast mutant lizard…”

Gojira, though still unconscious bodily, raised a mental brow in her direction. _“Did you just adopt the thing?”_

“…Well,” Jane’s face became pink for a few seconds, “We were always talking about how we were going to manage kids…”

 _“…If she’s anything like her mother, then she’ll be a strong woman, indeed.”_ Gojira rumbled, giving Jane cause to smile, as she leaned back against the crystal cocoon imprisoning him for the moment, sitting down in a chair made of diamond.

“Yes…” Jane agreed, thinking of all the great havoc the mutated animal would cause on her behalf, “She will.”

\-----------

She didn’t know for certain where she was, or how she winded up there. The only thing she was certain of was the Great Flash, confusion like nothing else, and then her world suddenly became too small for her, before she discovered a whole other world beyond her previous confines.

At first, she moved scared, frightened, alone. The only one of her kind. In her desperate search for anything like herself, she saw something floating on the water, and reached out to grab it. Only for it to crumple and tear under her longing grip for companionship, sinking to the bottom.

It was as such with everything she encountered. The other beings that had once dwarfed her now fled in terror, before she could even cry to them to stay, that she only wished their companionship. All ran before she could even get out the first calm, purr of altruistic intent.

She decided then that if all were going to run from her, she would have to create companions of her own. Beings like herself who would never know the pain of being the only one of their kind. The only issue was that while her instincts were enough to start her on the path, she didn’t know where to go from there.

Until, she heard that voice.

 _“Hello there.”_ The voice rung throughout her head, alien in its way of speaking, yet somehow perfectly comprehensible.

Her curiosity at the voice’s identity must have been detectable, because the voice responded.

 _“I am your mother.”_ The voice kindly whispered to her.

Mother? Mother… that word was different. She’d picked up concepts from overhearing the whales, but words like mother, father, sister, brother… those concepts continued to elude her.

 _“I am here to take care of you.”_ The Mother told her. _“To show you the way.”_

Her confusion only deepened at that. She hadn’t needed anyone to guide her since she hatched, but in truth… she was lost. Perhaps this Mother could help her.

 _“There is a very bad person out there.”_ The Mother told her, as an image of one of the mostly hairless, ape-like things entered her mind. _“He hates me, just for existing.”_ She said. _“I would deal with him myself, but I cannot. You can.”_

She rumbled in even greater confusion. Why would she do that?

 _“Because, I know what you want.”_ The Mother replied. _“I understand your pain. I feel it every day. You want to have a family. Some place to belong. I want that as well. But this… person.”_ She growled. _“He wants to make sure that can’t happen.”_

Another image filled her brain, yet another ape-like tiny. Different. Longer head-fur being the stand-out characteristic.

 _“This is your…”_ The Mother struggled. _“Sister. He wants to keep her away from us. Only by killing him can she finally join us, and we can all be together.”_

She tilted her head at that. The tiny apes were so small, she could crush them underfoot. Then again… she would take anything she could get, and the Mother said this was the way to receive what she sought.

It was simple, in her mind. The small ape-thing was standing in her way. He had to go.

She growled, the target locking in her mind, as she began to swim, being guided by the Mother’s light, encouraging voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jane has a very, very twisted view of the concept of family, doesn't she?
> 
> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	3. Landfall

Once they’d all gotten to the hotel and gotten their rooms set up, the first thing Steve did was flop down in the bed and muttered for them to stay in the building. Evidently, he was far too sleep-deprived to remember that these were the most irresponsible group of shitheads he’d ever met, and so, the moment he was out of commission, they came up with a plan to sneak out.

Well, really, it was Mike’s plan. You couldn’t blame him, though. They had about a thousand dollars in cash combined between all of them, the whole city at their fingertips, and the only person with the authority to reign them in was asleep.

Good luck trying to fucking stop him.

So, the moment they were sure Steve was out, the Party took to the streets.

The first thing El wanted to do was see the Statue of Liberty up close, since the city had finally got done repairing the small amount of damage caused when Godzilla thought it’d be a funny idea to take the statue as a souvenir. Once that was done, they took the ferry back to Manhattan, and went for a walk through Central Park.

Despite the fact it was wet and raining, the Party continued unabated. God only knew when they’d all get the chance to meet up again.

\----------

On a small little dock in the east river, near- well, the particulars aren’t important- a man wearing a hat, carrying a chair, a fishing pole, and some supplies to last him the day, set up on the edge of the platform, casting into the water.

“Come on, Hank!” A homeless man who called the area home heckled. “Fishing again?”

“East River’s good for fishin.’” Hank replied monotonously, continually looking out into the water.

“You’ve been sayin’ that the last ten times!” The homeless man refuted. “You ain’t caught nothin, you ain’t _gonna_ catch nothin!”

“Caught a gator once.” Hank replied. “That’s good eatin, I’ll tell you what.” He went to pop open the can of beer at his side, taking a swig, as he noticed the bobber being tugged under the water. “See?” He looked to the other man. “What’d I tell ya?” He held onto the pole, as the reeler mechanism began to spin. “Damn… it’s a biggun, too.”

Hank grunted, pulling the pole towards him as he tried to reel in whatever he caught. It didn’t seem to make any difference, as whatever had bit was big enough to put up a good fight. Hank tried to pull, only for the pole to bend to such an extent, it snapped.

Hank, in his surprise, dropped it, and could only watch as the remains of his beloved fisherman’s kit was pulled into the river.

“Aw, dagnab…” He glanced up, jaw dropping. “It…”

A massive bulge of water, like a small tidal wave, was building as it approached the tiny, wooden dock. As it moved, however, it seemed that the mass of water was actually being moved by something else.

Two enormous spines jutted out of the water, and Hank took off running, as the creature began to emerge, swimming into the dock and smashing through it like it was nonexistent.

The sea monster emerged fully, and let out a high-pitched, furious bellow as it climbed out of the water, onto the roadway nearby. Boats that had been in the water were impaled on the spikes jutting from her back, cars were crushed under the weight of her enormous footsteps, and the ground trembled as she walked.

Immediately, people were sent into a panicked frenzy trying to get out of the way.

Fearful screams and phrases such as “Is that Godzilla!?” “What’s he doing!?” and “Why’s he attacking!?” filled the air.

The warped, distorted duplicate of Godzilla screeched, stomping over buildings, knocking down walls and supports with her enormous tail, as she roamed seemingly aimlessly. Her gargantuan maw opened, and she reached down, slamming her teeth into a box truck carrying a cargo that, to her, smelled oh so delicious.

 _“No!”_ Mother’s voice chided her in her mind, causing her to tilt her head in confusion. _“These people are not your target! Don’t waste your time on them until after you find the one I sent you to find!”_

She huffed, rumbling, shaking her head, but did as Mother instructed. She raised her head high into the air, and sniffed, barring her sharp teeth as she felt the target’s scent fill the air.

With the scent in her mind, the mutant began to march down the streets of the city, a strange power charging within the great, sharp spikes on her back.

The air around them crackled with energy, and she let it all out in a massive pulse that covered the city.

\-----------

The Party had gone to eat at one of the many places in Manhattan. The moment they walked through the doors, Mike and El had split off, going to a table of their own, leaving Dustin stuck with Lucas and Max.

“I can’t believe it took us this long to get everybody back together.” Mike remarked, looking across at El, as he grasped her hand. “I missed you so much.”

El smiled in response. “I missed you too, Mike.”

Mike smiled. “I knew you did… So, how are things out on that oil rig?”

“Island.” El corrected. “It’s part of an island now. And its called Castle Bravo.” She took a bite of her food, some concoction of pasta sauce, sausage, and cheese which name she couldn’t pronounce. “And it’s been nice. Everybody there is so nice, and supportive…” Come to think of it now, the people on Castle Bravo were kind of like an extended family or counterpart of the party. Everybody even fit. Serizawa was Castle Bravo’s equivalent of Mike, Vivienne the equivalent of Max, Mark was Lucas’s stand-in, Rick was like Dustin, Ilene was... just Ilene, and Godzilla was obviously Godzilla.

It was nice, having a home away from all her friends that felt like home, not like Chicago. Chicago felt kind of like home, thanks to Joyce, but there was something still missing. Then they went to Castle Bravo, things changed, and they felt _right_ again, even without Hopper.

Mike glanced down at his plate. “It’s not right…” He muttered.

El tilted her head. “Hm?”

“It’s not right,” Mike repeated, looking at her. “Joyce keeping you guys all the way out there in that base where nobody can visit you. She’s like Brenner.”

El recoiled, offended. “Mom is _nothing_ like him.”

“She’s keeping you locked away.” Mike replied.

“I’m not locked away.” El replied, “I’m with my friends.”

“ _We’re_ your friends!” Mike retorted, raising his voice, and El could see Max starting to get up.

With a glare, El looked at Max, telling her to stay out of it. Last time Max got involved in Mike and El’s spats, all she did was make things worse. Besides, El could fight her own battles. If worst came to worst, she did have her powers back, and if things got really bad, she could always call Godzilla to come help.

It paid having the King of the Monsters as a brother.

“El,” Mike addressed, a pleading tone in his voice. “Come back to Hawkins, with us. Please.”

El gaped at the sheer nerve. “ _What_!?”

“It’s not safe out on that island.” Mike told her. “You’re surrounded by monsters that could kill you with a blink!”

“They wouldn’t ever hurt me.” El told him. “They’re my _friends_.”

“El, Will-“

“Godzilla.” El corrected with a growl. Mike was her boyfriend, but far be it from her to let him dead name her brother.

“Will,” Mike continued, unabated, “Is getting into fights almost every week! You got sucked into an alternate dimension and almost _died_!” He told her. “How does that not worry you!?”

“…I don’t let it.” El answered. “I can’t control these things, but I can fight them.”

“El, please,” Mike begged, “It’s safe in Hawkins!”

El steeled her eyes, glaring at him. “I’m _not_ going back there.”

“I can get my mom to let you stay with us!” Mike insisted.

El huffed, shaking her head. “You don’t understand… You’ll _never_ understand.” She accused, poking him. For the past few months, she felt safe. _Genuinely_ safe. Godzilla was always stood vigilant, ready to protect the inhabitants of Castle Bravo from any threat coming their way. Bad men, monsters, natural disasters. Even Rodan and Mothra made her feel that safety, knowing that whatever came for her could be pushed back with a mere gesture.

And now, Mike was asking her to give that up?

Not a chance. Hawkins was hell on earth. The past few years had proven that over and over.

“El, please…” Mike begged. “If you love me, you’ll come back with us.”

El recoiled, supremely offended. Did he just pull out that card on her? He may not have realized what he was doing, but it seriously, seriously pissed her off.

“…No.” El growled.

Mike blinked. “What?”

“It means ‘no.’” El repeated.

Mike scowled, confused. “What’re you saying?”

“It means ‘no!’” El thundered, slamming her hands as she stood up. “You don’t get to pull the ‘if you love me’ card!” She poked him. “I love you, Mike, but that doesn’t mean I have to go along with whatever _you_ want! I’m safe at Castle Bravo, safer than I’ve ever felt in Hawkins, and I’m _happy_ , happier than I’ve ever been.”

Mike looked like he’d been stabbed. “Happier than you’ve been in Hawkins?”

The question landed in El’s mind, and she found herself anxiously considering it. The truth was, she had a whole new family there. Maddie, like the sister El had wanted Kali to be but wasn’t. Mothra, the kind, caring aunt who always had time to listen to her problems. Rodan, the laid-back uncle who was probably going to move to Vegas. And Godzilla, the big older brother keeping all of them protected from the things that go bump in the night.

“Yes.” El finally answered.

“Okay…” Mike hoarsely stated. “If that’s how you feel…”

El sighed, looking away. “You know what, if you’re that miffed about me having other friends than you, maybe-“ She got a sudden startle as the lights in the building suddenly all went dark. Everything from the lights to the neon signs on the windows went dead.

A distant thud echoed, as the building rumbled.

“Uhh… guys?” Dustin looked up warily. “What was that?”

The building rumbled again, cups, plates, silverware, and décor falling to the floor as the rumble shook the building.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake…” Lucas muttered, gulping as the darkened lights and rumbling made for a tense scene. The situation calmed for a moment, and the teenagers thought things were alright.

El took a breath, steadying herself…

And that was when one massive, three-clawed foot, slammed down into the street out front, shattering the windows of the place as it stomped down the street, snarling ferally and uncontrollably as it moved. The creature’s tail thwapped, knocking a fire hydrant out of its place in the ground, sending it crashing through the restaurant.

“Jesus!” Max just barely jumped out of the way as the hydrant was embedded into the wall.

“You alright!?” El looked Max over worriedly, as the rumbling didn’t stop.

“Fine.” Max breathed. The door’s bell dinged, grabbing everyone’s attention, and they were met with a harrowing sight.

Dustin running out into the streets.

“DUSTIN!” Lucas roared. “WHAT’RE YOU DOING!?”

Dustin waved the camera he’d brought with him, ‘borrowed’ from Jonathan. “I’m not letting pictures like this pass me by!”

“DUSTIN!” Mike screamed, as Dustin charged down the ruined streets, following the beast as it turned the corner. “GET BACK HERE, MORON!”

\-----------

The people running away from the monster were in such a panic, they didn’t notice the lone teenager running _towards_ it, carrying the camera.

If you asked Dustin if he had a self-preservation instinct, he’d obviously answer yes.

But, his current actions were a solid point in the column of the contrary.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit…” Dustin huffed and puffed as he ran down to the intersection out front of Grand Central Terminal.

Down the road, the monster turned the corner again, snarling. So close, he could see the narrowed slits of its eyes, the purpose with which it obviously carried itself.

Dustin held the camera up, beginning to take snapshot after snapshot as the monster stomped towards him.

It was only when the shadow started to fall over him did Dustin realize he was right in the path of the monster’s foot, not in between the legs as he had thought, and it was about to come down right on top of him.

People who see movies like to rag on the main characters for making stupid decisions when death is right there, Dustin himself was even included, but that was because people failed to realize. When death is so close, sometimes your body pushes itself to flee, but other times, you’re so locked up with unrestrainable fear that you can’t move.

That’s exactly what happened to Dustin, as he stared up at the underside of the foot about to be brought down right on top of him.

Just when it looked like it was about to come down, however, Dustin felt something yank him to the side, all the way out from under the monster’s foot, as he came to a sliding stop next to a taxi.

He lay there, breathing heavily, staring at the monster’s retreating figure as it turned the corner, faintly registering the splashing of the water as the rest of the Party ran up to him.

“Stupid!” El instantly chided him, smacking him on the arm, before wiping away a nosebleed.

“Holy shit…” Was all Dustin could vocalize. “Holy shit…”

“What…” Lucas panted, staring at the corner down which the monster had turned. “ _Was_ that?” He asked, looking to El, the resident monster expert amongst them thanks to the obvious.

“It looked like Godzilla!” Mike remarked. “It had the spines and everything!”

“Was that him!?” Max fearfully inquired, terror springing in her soul at the mere idea. “Did he go bad!?”

El felt a pang of fear herself at the possibility. Admittedly, the creature didn’t look anything like the Godzilla she was used to, but then again… perhaps this was part of his new life cycle. Metamorphizing into something that had _some_ characteristics but was otherwise different.

But that would be such a drastic change, El didn’t want to consider it possible. She just… couldn’t be sure.

“I…” El blinked. “I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	4. Make the Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had an idea. The Xiliens, but their aesthetic is this:
> 
> Thoughts?

“It’s gone!?” Mark demanded, looking over Rick’s shoulder at the screen. “What do you mean it’s gone!?”

“I mean, it’s gone!” Rick furiously retorted, “It walked onto land, smashed some stuff, knocked out the power to the whole goddamned city, then walked back into water!”

Serizawa frowned, turning to face Rick with crossed arms. “That is most unusual behavior.” He commented, raising an eyebrow. “Why would the creature surface and go back underwater mere moments after?”

“I don’t know, man, I’m not the biologist!” Rick frustratedly threw his hands up.

“Could be a… trial run, almost.” Mark shrugged. He looked to Rick demandingly. “What’s the city like right now?”

“Power loss, most phones are dead, a lotta cars aren’t working…” Rick rattled off, looking at the reports on the military channels. “They’re thinking that whatever it was released a kind of short-range EMP. Military’s sending in troops now to help evacuations and provide defense when the monster comes back.”

“Defense?” Mark huffed. “Look, I’m all for supporting the troops, but you’ve gotta admit when it comes to these things, they don’t exactly have the best track record.”

“Well, since big G was in the area and he failed to show up, they’re taking matters into their own hands.” Rick replied. “ _Defiant’s_ been called in for support, and they’ve got Maser Turrets rolling in.”

Serizawa looked intrigued. “Maser Turrets? I am not familiar with that weapon.”

“Truck-mounted anti-kaiju weapons. They use microwave beams to cook a target to death. Military’s been working on it since…” Rick counted his fingers. “Ghidorah showed its ugly mug.”

The room fell silent, and Rick noticed the blank blinks looking at him.

“What?” Rick asked.

“How do you _know_ that?” Ilene asked.

Rick huffed, rolling his eyes. “Loose lips sink ships wasn’t just an expression, you know.” He turned back to the screen, holding his headphones up to his head. “They’re already getting set up. It’s gonna be mostly a waiting game now.”

Serizawa nodded. “I see. Keep an eye on the situation, Mister Stanton.” He stated. “Notify us immediately if anything changes.”

“Right, keep an eye on the phones like Nixon’s wiretap, not like I’ve got anything better to do…” Rick muttered, going back to his business.

“I don’t like this.” Mark stated, looking to Serizawa. “Where’s Godzilla? Why hasn’t he gotten involved?”

“I wish I had an answer.” Serizawa replied, thinning his lips.

The fact that Godzilla hadn’t stepped in meant either he didn’t know what was going on, which wasn’t possible giving that Maddie would’ve immediately notified him, or that he was incapacitated.

A troubling prospect, indeed.

\----------

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!” Dustin heaved, as they sprinted back to the hotel room. “That, was, insane!”

“What do you mean _‘that_?’” Max repeated, practically shoving him. _“You_ were the one who decided to go chasing after the damn thing!”

“HEY, SHITBIRDS!” Steve bellowed, turning all their attention on him. “What the hell is all of this!? Where the hell have you guys even _been_!?”

Instantly, in their flurry to try and explain, they started clamoring and taking over each other.

Steve frustratedly placed his hands on his hips, shaking his head, before breaking it with a shrill whistle, making the group go dead silent.

“You,” He pointed to Mike, “Explain first.”

“Alright,” Mike drew a breath, “We were getting something to eat when Godzilla-“

“It’s not my brother.” El insisted, glaring at Mike.

“It looks like Godzilla and it roared like Godzilla!” Mike replied.

El scowled. “If that looked like Godzilla to you, you really need to get your eyes checked.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Steve grabbed their attention by clapping his hands. “You.” He pointed to Lucas next. “What happened?”

“It was just stomping down the street, and then _Dustin-“_

“I WAS CURIOUS, SUE ME!” Dustin screeched.

Steve frustratedly rubbed his face. “You’re shit-for-brains, all of you!” He finally snapped at his wits end finally from the sleep-deprivation and the tenseness of the situation. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “At least tell me the damn thing is gone.”

“Um, yeah, um…” Dustin stuttered. “We don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Steve repeated. “It’s a giant lizard, and you _lost sight of it?”_

“In our defense, the thing caused an EMP or something!” Mike replied. He blinked, looking to El. “Godzilla causes EMPs, right?”

El shrugged. “I don’t know. The closest thing I know is his atom breath.”

“Oh, right the laser fire.” Dustin recognized with a smile. “Cool.”

Steve shook his head, huffing. “So, what do we do?”

“The military’s helping get people to safety,” El explained, “But we have to help.”

“Yeah, no.” Steve tried shooting her down. “Not happening. We’re gonna get to my car and get out of here before you guys can get crushed by it.”

“Steve’s right,” Mike was quick to jump on that train, “It’s too dangerous.

El scowled, rooting around in her pockets for the wallet she’d gotten for her birthday, pulling out a card. “You see that?”

Steve looked at it, frowning. “Yeah… what is it, a fan club membership thing?”

“ _No,”_ El hissed, “It’s my Monarch card. See there?” She pointed to a line of text under her name, next to her picture. “Level five: Only the… senior command personnel,” She slowly sounded out, “Maddie, mom, and I have these.” She put it back in her wallet, stowing it in her pockets. “Godzilla is gone. I don’t know if he did turn into that somehow, or if it got him, but _this,”_ She stressed, gesturing, “Is what Monarch was made for. Stopping the monsters. You guys can go if you want, but I’m staying here to help.”

The assembled members of the group all looked at each other, before sighing.

“Alright.” Steve spoke up first. “What’s the plan?”

\---------

Jane sat in the chair of crystal, observing intently, tilting her head as she saw the goody-two-shoes counterpart of her king floating in the water, inert. Anyone could tell that he was still alive, only inert, like a ship that had lost all power.

“Interesting…” She commented. The moment that Godzilla had sensed Millicent’s approach, he’d charged off as fast as he could to intercept her.

The three-hundred-foot tall mutant was dwarfed in sheer power by Godzilla, and for a moment, it looked like she would surely be killed. But just when Godzilla reared up to attack, Millicent let out an enormous pulse of radiation from the spines on her back. An EMP.

Natural selection was already starting to work its way through the new monsters rising on earth. It was only a matter of time that one of them evolved a defense against Godzilla. Being the walking nuclear reactor that he was, the way his bodily systems functioned were not too dissimilar to some forms of technology. They had to be. Regular nerves just couldn’t carry the signals in his body fast enough for him to react.

Jane couldn’t say precisely what material made up Godzilla’s nerves, but it must have been something that conducted signals much closer to the speed of light than human nerves. Regardless of what material, however, she supposed it must have conducted those signals in a way similar to circuitry, or rather, the materials Godzilla’s body used were similar. Similar enough so that if an EMP went off, it would disrupt the signals being transmitted in his body just as they would disrupt technology.

Which, per chance, is exactly what happened. While the EMP released during the encounter wasn’t strong enough to reach land, Godzilla had been right next to it.

Almost instantly, Godzilla was knocked unconscious by it. Had he been any other kaiju, the damage rendered to his nervous system would’ve certainly killed him, yet thanks to the EMP being a form of radiation, his body was able to absorb some of the power, and utilize it to immediately start regenerating from his wounds.

It made her rather proud, in a way. As such, Jane turned her attention back to her new living weapon, and recoiled.

What was Millicent doing? Burrowing? Why? Jane hadn’t told her to burrow. Had she killed Mike and then gone to go do that after not getting any more orders?

Turning her attention elsewhere, Jane saw that no, Mike hadn’t been killed, and she growled.

Well, if it took multiple goes, so be it.

\------------

At first, getting the military personnel to actually listen long enough for El to display her Monarch ID was kind of tough going, but once she’d gotten that done, the Party was immediately brought to a command tent set up across the Brooklyn Bridge.

As they were led across, they passed by the congested traffic of the people trying to head out of Manhattan, as on the other side, on the road into Manhattan, eighteen-wheelers pulling strange trailers proceeded onto the island.

The cargo looked like strange, ray gun weapons with satellite dishes at the end. El thought it looked similar to something she’d seen out of _Flash Gordon._ On the things were massive warning labels warning of microwave radiation. Did that mean they were going to try to cook the thing alive?

Shaking her thoughts away, El kept pace behind the army man as he led them into the tent.

“General Stenz, sir.” He addressed.

“Not now, Private.” Stenz replied, not looking up from the map as he laid out small points upon it. “Okay, I want the Maser Batteries set up aimed towards every drop of water surrounding that Island. I don’t know yet if that thing has access to its atomic breath, but we can’t take any chances. Tell the Maser operators to stay at range, set up in between the buildings if they have to.” It was that at point that he finally looked up. “Yes, Private, what is it?”

“I’ve got someone here to see you,” He stepped aside minutely, gesturing to El, “She says she’s from Monarch.”

Stenz looked to El, raising an eyebrow. “That was quick. I hadn’t even sent word to Monarch.”

“I was in the city.” El shrugged.

Stenz nodded. “Serendipity at its finest. Which one are you, then? Madison or El?”

“El, general.” The girl replied.

Stenz sighed, rubbing his face. “It was just too much to hope for the Godzilla Whisperer, wasn’t it?” He frustratedly shook his head, looking to her. “But, I’ll take what I can get.”

“Sorry,” Mike finally spoke up, “Who are you? And how do you know El?”

“General William Stenz, currently the one in charge of the United States Military’s Giant Monster Taskforce.” He answered, standing with his arms clasped behind his back, and he looked at El inquisitively. “Are these people friends of yours?”

El nodded, “Yes. Dustin, Max, Lucas, Steve, Mike.” She gestured respectively to each one.

“I see.” Stenz looked to each one scrutinizingly.

“Sir,” A radio operator on the other side of the tent spoke up, “ _Defiant’s_ approaching New York airspace.”

“Tell them to enter a holding pattern around Manhattan.” Stenz ordered, looking to the radio operator. “They’re going to be our primary aerial support for this.”

“Yes sir.” The operator nodded, turning back to relay Stenz’s orders.

“Now,” Stenz looked back to the Party, “If you’ll all follow one of these fine gentlemen, they’ll see you on your way to safety.” He gestured to one of the soldiers.

“No,” El spoke up, stepping forward. “We wanna help.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, young lady,” Stenz replied, “But this is not a place for people of your age.”

“We can help, trust me.” El insisted, “I know Godzilla, and that thing wasn’t him.” She explained, looking to Stenz seriously. “It wasn’t tall enough, it moved the wrong way, and it sounded too different. You might make a mistake. Besides…” El held up her Monarch ID. “I do have this.”

Stenz looked at the card, falling silent for a few moments. “…If nothing else, you’re at least qualified enough to have that.” He sighed. “Very well. It saves me a trip out to Castle Bravo at least. But,” He looked to each one of the teenagers seriously, “You all stay within sight of the troops. If the situation goes awry, they’ll escort you all to safety, is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.” Mike, for once, didn’t argue with authority. Then again, he was standing in the middle of a tent surrounded by military personnel, arguing wasn’t a good idea.

“Alright,” Stenz looked to the other personnel. “Is everything in position?”

“We’re receiving the reports now,” The radio operator relayed, “ _Defiant_ in holding pattern around Manhattan, Maser Batteries in position,” He looked to Stenz, “All units reporting ready, sir.”

Stenz slowly nodded. “Right… And now, we wait.”

“Wait?” Dustin spoke up. “Why wait?”

Stenz looked to him as he began to explain. “Every encounter we’ve had with these things so far, if there’s still buildings standing after the first attack, they _will_ come back. It’s only a matter of time.”

Dustin snorted. “Well, that’s no good.”

Lucas looked to him sarcastically. “Dude, shut up!”

“I’m sorry,” Stenz raised an eyebrow, “Are you with Monarch too?”

“No,” Dustin readily admitted, “But I have a working brain.”

“Dustin!” Steve hissed.

“Look,” Dustin addressed Stenz, “You guys have got some fancy toys out there, that’s all well and cool, but you don’t know where… Zilla’s-“

“Zilla?” Mike whispered to Max.

The redhead frustratedly shrugged. “I don’t know.” She quietly hissed back.

“-gone,” Dustin continued, either unaware or just not caring about his friends’ comment on his name for the beast, “Or how long it’ll be until he comes back.”

Stenz crossed his arms. “And I suppose you have a plan to deal with that?”

“Yes, actually.” Dustin retorted, only slightly miffed by the military man talking down to him. “It may or may not work, but it’ll at least speed up the timetable, and you won’t have to send important personnel away for this.”

Stenz raised a quizzical eyebrow. “What’re you suggesting?”

“We lure it out.” Dustin suggested. “Something that big’s gotta have a big appetite, right? So, we put some bait on land, wait for it to come, then boom. And,” He held up a finger for emphasis, “It has the _added_ benefit of corralling the monster where you want it to go, instead of just waiting.”

“Hmm…” Stenz thinned his lips, and looked to El, the resident member of Monarch. “Do you think that will work?”

“I trust him.” El nodded.

“…Very well,” Stenz looked to Dustin. “What do we need.”

“Um…” Dustin bit his lip in thought. “The thing is amphibious, so it probably has a diet suited for the deep sea… It’s mouth was huge…” He mumbled. “We’re going to need fish. A _lot_ of fish.”

Stenz raised an eyebrow. “How much is ‘a lot?’”

“Um… maybe a couple of dump trucks’ worth?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	5. Execute the Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been thinking about something I may or may not want to do. I'd like to reintroduce Ghidorah back to the series, but perhaps NOT as an antagonist, but as a good guy closer to the GMK incarnation of King Ghidorah. Of course, this Ghidorah would be more like a superhero legacy character, like Robin. Same name, but a radically different person in-universe.
> 
> This... Good-Dorah would be the resident grumpy antihero of Monster Island, as opposed to Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan who pretty much enjoy their job, Ghidorah would have to be dragged into fights and would pretty much only cooperate because "Damnit, this planet's where I keep all my stuff!"
> 
> I don't wanna spoil EVERYTHING, because what would be the point of actually reading that storyline at that point, but I do wanna say that this Ghidorah would be female (to differentiate between the previous Ghidorah who was only referred to in the feminine pronouns once down to their last head) and that Queen Jane would be responsible for Ghidorah's creation (if you've been paying attention, you can guess how.)
> 
> So, thoughts? Is it something you'd like to see, or is it a stupid idea that should be reworked? Lemme know!

It took several hours to get the amounts of fish they needed. Getting _several_ dump trucks’ worth of fish was easier than it sounded, they couldn’t just roll up to a fish plant and be like ‘hey, let us clear you out of absolutely everything so we can use it in a hairbrained idea to lure a giant monster onto the mainland.’

But, in the end, they had been able to get what they needed. It took a lot of smooth-talking to the suppliers and whatnot, and searching more than a dozen different places, but they got it, in the end.

The only thing to do now was put it in a place where they were sure Zilla would surface to come get it.

The backup alarms beeped loudly, echoing into the night, as the trucks backed into position, dumping the fish all into a single pile.

“God, Jesus…” Max gagged upon the horrid smell hitting her. “That’s a _lot_ of fish.”

“About…” Dustin quickly ran the numbers in his head. “Ten tons worth, per truck.”

Steve looked to Dustin, absolutely bewildered. “Will the thing even _want_ to eat that much?”

“Something that size, it’ll need all the calories it can get.” Dustin replied. “Trust me, this’ll work.”

“Don’t lizards usually eat _plants_?” Mike asked, as the last dump truck deposited its load, driving away, making way for the troops surrounding it to get into position.

“Normally,” Dustin answered, “But not all species of lizard do. Besides, something that big… it’d pretty much _have_ to eat meat, there’s not enough nutritional value in plants otherwise.”

“That sounds like you’re pulling it out of your ass.” Steve commented.

“No, he’s right.” El agreed. “The only reason Godzilla can get away with not eating is because his body takes… radi-… radi-…” She frustratedly sighed. “Bomb stuff.”

“Yeah,” Dustin pointed, “And since the military guys didn’t pick up any waste radiation from Zilla, that probably means it eats meat. Now…” He held a pair of binoculars up to his face, looking out to the pile of fish, as all the soldiers fell back, taking up defensive positions around the area. “Come on you big bitch, take the bait…”

The next several minutes passed in mostly silence, the only thing to disturb the peace being the sound of the rain coming down uncontrollably, coupled with the occasional splashing of Steve boredly kicking the water. In time, however, they began to notice something.

“The manholes.” El pointed out, frowning. “They’re steaming… why?”

Mike looked out to them, frowning as well with a furrowed brow. Steam _was_ coming from the closed manholes, but why? Was there a gas leak? No, no… if there was a gas leak, the flow would be steady, but this wasn’t, almost like-

Mike took a sharp breath as he put two and two together. “You guys ever breathe out in the cold weather and your breath fogs up?”

All of their heads snapped to him, as they realized what he was getting at, before the ground quaked, and one of the roads cracked. A deep, hungry growl reverberated through the air, and the earth trembled as something clawed its way out of the depths.

Zilla emerged from the fissure in the ground, standing on two, velociraptor like legs.

“It’s been under us the whole time…” Mike gulped, as she began to stomp down the street towards the square they were in.

The group looked up in fearful awe as the soldiers tried to react. Just when Zilla was about to pass them by, however, she stopped, turning her head to them. Two, massive, beady orange eyes stared down at the group, and at one member in particular.

“Mike…” Lucas fearfully patted his shoulder. “You should start running, man…”

“No.” El cut him off. “Rule one of animals… don’t run. She doesn’t think you’re a threat. Not yet.”

Mike wanted to argue, judging as he could see the beast staring down at him. Those eyes were cold and calculating, yes, but they weren’t filled with malice. Not yet.

Zilla let out a low growl, before she opened her mouth, letting out a quiet roar in Mike’s face.

“Intimidation display…” El recognized from the myriad of battles Godzilla had it turned against him. “Stand your ground.”

Mike gulped, doing as El instructed. Zilla’s enormous jowls shut, and she tilted her head, growling again. She glanced at El, finally seeming to lose interest in the teenagers all together, before she walked over to the bait pile.

Instantly, the soldiers raised their weapons, and the hum of the Maser Batteries became apparent, as Zilla stomped around.

“Don’t shoot!” El said. “She’s friendly!”

“Say again!?” Another soldier repeated.

“She’s not hostile!” El stated. “We might be able to get this solved without shooting!”

\---------

“Sergeant, that thing’s in clear view,” Stenz radioed, “We can’t guarantee if we can bring it in peacefully, if you have a shot, you take it!”

\---------

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Jane raged, slamming her fist on the arm of her crystal throne. “MIKE IS RIGHT THERE! CRUSH HIM, EAT HIM, BLAST HIM, NOW!”

\--------

Zilla looked up, staring at Mike, and she growled.

“OPEN FIRE!” One of the soldiers bellowed over the rest, and immediately, a flurry of bullets and blasts from the Maser Cannons were leveled at her.

Zilla roared, rearing up, as the weapons felt like they were tearing into her flesh. She took off, disregarding the teenagers and soldiers alike, as she focused on the one, animal instinct to get away from the pain as fast as she could.

The Maser Trucks took off after her, a small convoy of Humvees flanking them. As another charge from the Masers tore into her body, Zilla screeched, turning around, as the blue spikes on her back flashed.

With a furious roar, Zilla aimed down at the ground, and spat out a massive jet of green, atomic fire into the Humvees and Maser Trucks, turning them into molten masses of metal in mere seconds.

\---------

“It’s making a run for it!” The radio operator relayed.

“Get the _Defiant,”_ Stenz ordered, “Tell them to firebomb that thing if they have to!”

\----------

“All right, all hands to battle stations!” Captain Foster ordered, strapping herself in as her crew did the same. “Load ventral torpedo bays, bring us right over the target!”

\---------

The air roared as the massive aircraft-submarine hybrid broke its holding pattern, charging to intercept Zilla’s path.

Zilla heard it approaching, and turned to face it, snarling as she charged her atomic breath, before firing.

The ship lurched as the blast hit, but was otherwise unaffected as it swooped over, dropping its payloads onto Zilla.

She roared in fury, but was likewise unharmed, as she continued unabated to the sea.

\---------

“No effect, sir!” The operator reported.

“No effect!?” Stenz repeated. Billions of dollars’ worth of the most advanced military weapons known to man, and there’s no effect?

Well, you go with the lowest bidder, and this is what happens.

“Tell them to circle back around and try again!” Stenz ordered.

“Sir!” A woman on the radar nearby spoke up. “We’re picking up something else!”

\---------

The teenagers had quickly charged to get out of Zilla’s path, heading back towards the command tent to safety, since Zilla had quickly turned hostile.

As they were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, however, they noticed the water stirring and churning, and the almost blue glow coming from it.

El’s face became the picture of happiness, as the massive set of flat spines broke the water, and Godzilla stood tall.

\--------

 ** _“SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-ONK!”_** Godzilla bellowed, a challenge to the pretender standing in front of him.

“He’s still alive…” Gojira commented, materializing next to Jane.

“Yes…” Jane agreed, watching the sight intently as she supported her head on her hand. “So he is...”

 ** _“SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”_** Zilla challenged back, standing her ground.

“I thought you said the EMP would kill him?” Gojira asked, looking to Jane.

“That’s what I thought.” Jane replied, “Clearly, your… double is much hardier than we realized. Still,” She adjusted herself, getting comfortable. “At least we’ll get a show.”

\----------

Godzilla stood tall, growling, posturing himself so he would look even bigger than he actually was. _“You’ve had your fun, your little run outside,”_ He growled, seriously pissed from that move Zilla pulled on him back in the open water. _“But it stops,_ now. _I’m gonna give you one chance. Leave.”_

Zilla, if she could even respond in a manner he could comprehend, obviously wasn’t taking it. Like a rabid dog, she growled, snarling at him, as she charged her spines, and let out another EMP.

This time, however, Godzilla was expecting it. Priming his cells to absorb _all_ the radiation, he did just that, and redirected it back out through his own spines, generating a pulse that pulverized a few of the buildings surrounding him.

 _“Now, are you_ sure _you wanna ride this train?”_ Godzilla growled, narrowing his eyes at the pretender.

Zilla snarled and charged forward, running at him like a dog would run at a person. She leapt into the air, aimed right for him, and Godzilla raised his arms to defend.

He staggered slightly as she slammed into him, but didn’t otherwise fall, keeping a tight grip on the mutant. She made a sound not too dissimilar to barking as her jaw snapped, and she went for the gills on Godzilla’s neck.

Godzilla snarled, angling so he could punch Zilla in the jaw to get her to let go, and spun her around, slamming her into a building.

She kicked and squirmed under his pressing weight, snarling, and her spikes flashed as she charged her own breath. Being so close, it was a simple matter of grabbing her by the head, turning her so it harmlessly lanced into the atmosphere.

He wasn’t fighting a monster like Ghidorah, or Biollante. He was fighting just another feral animal that couldn’t understand tactics or the mistake it had made.

Once Zilla’s atomic breath was expended, Godzilla began to charge his own, and pried her jaws open, going in for the kill.

Zilla kicked and fought, much like Ghidorah had, but in the end, even she couldn’t stand up to Godzilla.

With a final, choked and pained roar, Zilla flopped over, dead like all the other monsters who had tried to cross the king.

Godzilla drew a deep breath, and threw his head back, letting the victory roar ring out for miles around.

\---------

“See?” El hit Mike on the arm. “Told you it wasn’t him.”

“Yeah…” Mike breathed, looking up at the lizard. “…You have permission to say I told you so.”

El huffed, shaking her head. “Like I need permission.”

Godzilla rumbled, stretching, as the soldiers received the orders to finally stand down.

“S-So, that’s it then?” Steve asked, looking between Godzilla and El. “The monster’s just dead?”

El frowned, looking to Manhattan. Steve was right about the monster being dead, but… Her hunches were always good. Zilla came to the city for _something_ , yet when she showed up, she went back into the ocean…

And then sprung up from the middle of the road? Whatever sign that was, El was certain it was _not_ a good one.

She had to talk to Stenz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	6. Expect Things to Go Off the Rails

“Hostile has been eliminated,” Stenz relayed through the radio to his superiors, “Minimal casualties sustained only. We’re ready for cleanup operations now.”

“General,” El ran in, slightly out of breath.

“Just a moment, miss El.” Stenz replied.

“No, I need to talk to you, now.” El insisted. “Zilla was burrowing under the city.”

“Very interesting, but it’s dead now-“

“No, but think!” El continued. “When animals dig tunnels under somewhere, it means they’re making a den, a home! Zilla could’ve done it out in the ocean, but she came here instead, why!?”

“El,” Mike looked over to her, “What’re you getting at?”

Dustin inhaled, looking to the girl with a sick sense of comprehension. “It’s like sea turtles… They lay their eggs on land because the predators in the sea would get them instantly…”

“Eggs?” Stenz repeated, finally listening. “You’re not suggesting…?”

“It makes sense.” Lucas stated, turning all attention on him. “Why else would Zilla burrow underground? If it was to retreat, she could’ve just gone out into open waters and have been done with it, but instead she chose to dig.”

“But it’s a giant _monster!”_ Max replied. “Its eggs would’ve been safe!”

“If she kept watch on them,” Dustin said, “But very little species actually form attachments to their young like that. Besides, thing her size… The eggs would be what, the size of a person?”

El nodded. The proportions seemed right to her. Then again, the only monster egg she’d seen was Mothra’s.

“There are plenty of things in the ocean that’ll munch a person right up.” Dustin finished. “But on land… lay eggs, they hatch, and can make it to the ocean no problem, _especially_ if said eggs were laid in an underground tunnel.”

“Say that beast did lay eggs,” Stenz considered, “How many are we talking about?”

“I can’t say for sure without knowing the exact species,” Dustin replied, “And it’s a _mutant_ , so I don’t know if the normal rules even apply anymore. But, if I _had_ to assume the worst… some reptiles can lay _hundreds_ of eggs.”

Stenz drew a breath, turning to the radio operator. “Get whoever you need to on the line to get us mapping equipment for those tunnels, on the double!” He ordered.

“Yes, sir!” The operator replied, quickly getting to business.

El had really, really hoped she was wrong, because if she wasn’t… hundreds of Zillas running around…

She didn’t know if even Godzilla would be able to fight all them off.

\----------

Gojira’s human form curiously tilted his head as he looked upon the sight. “Stranger and stranger… She was pregnant?”

Jane replied by saying nothing, merely refocusing the scene. The view changed to that of massive, hollowed-out passageways, bits of debris such as the remains of subway stations and tracks, underground power and gas lines, and rubble filled it. Zilla’s tunnels.

Eventually, however, Jane refocused it on a massive nexus, a hub in the tunnel system, and she breathed in. “So it would seem…” She commented, looking at the array of eggs scattered around.

In her opinion, it was absolutely delightful. Sure, Zilla herself may have been killed off, but in time, if her children inherited her abilities, it would be an army of things just like her going up against Godzilla.

And while the King of the Monsters may have been good, he wasn’t perfect. Against odds like that, even he didn’t stand a chance.

“Everything’s working out just fine…” Jane smiled. While Zilla had failed to kill Mike as she was instructed, her offspring would surely finish the job in their rampage.

And as Jane sat there, observing with that grin on her face, it only widened as one of the eggs’ shells cracked, splitting open.

\---------

“We’ll have to assume the worst-case scenario,” Stenz outlined, looking over the map. Teams were out, roaming the streets, mapping the land with highly specialized seismic equipment, and sending the data back to be printed out to make a map.

Slowly, a map of tunnels like blood vessels under Manhattan was being assembled.

“Jesus…” Steve breathed, looking at the honeycombed structures fitting inside the island’s outline. “How’d she do that without anybody noticing?”

“The evacuation probably put enough people into a panic not to register it.” Stenz guessed, as part-by-part, the map was assembled.

“Good old human ignorance, it’s unbeatable.” Mike muttered, turning to actually look at the map. “Where’re all these things going?”

“The nest.” Dustin answered, looking at it. “That’s where the eggs are liable to be.”

Stenz nodded. “Once we get the tunnels mapped out, we’ll find the nest, and send in Godzilla to destroy the eggs.”

“Good, right, good…” El nodded.

“What does Godzilla think of all this?” Stenz inquired, gesturing with his eyes to the mutant lizard standing on Manhattan island nearby.

El turned to look as well, frowning. “…I can’t say for sure. I think he’s worried about the eggs, but…”

“Given that he’s not ripping apart the island to find them, you don’t know.” Stenz finished.

“Yeah.” El nodded. “Or maybe he’s worried that some of them’s already hatched, and he’s waiting for us to find the den so he can surprise them.”

“Perhaps.” Stenz granted.

In truth, Godzilla’s tense posture was something different.

\----------

He’d been thinking back on the words of the Elder Godzilla he’d met. A King’s duty was to punish those who’d gotten too far out of line, which he’d done by dealing with Zilla herself, but the eggs?

They were just defenseless babies, and even if they weren’t, they hadn’t committed the same sins as their mother. In truth, it was a difficult decision. Because, if Dustin was right about the worst-case scenario, the explosive breeding meant that the planet would be overrun with Zillas in a matter of months.

In sparing the children… he could be condemning the rest of the planet to a swarm of locusts that couldn’t possibly be fought against.

But he couldn’t drive a species to extinction. He needed a second opinion. So, he closed his eyes, searching.

 _“Maddie.”_ He called out. _“I have a question that needs answering, if you please.”_

 _“Sure,”_ She readily replied, making him smile mentally. She always had time for him. _“What’s up?”_

 _“There are these eggs that if they hatch, it could cause the biggest invasive species in the history of mankind to be released to run rampant.”_ He explained. _“If I spare the eggs to ease my own conscience, they’ll go free… but if I destroy them all, I’ll be wiping out a whole species.”_

 _“…I can’t say I envy you.”_ Maddie replied, without a hint of sarcasm. _“But… you’re the King. It’s a King’s job to consider the welfare of_ everyone _under his protection, not just one group.”_

 _“But, it’s also the Queen’s duty to let the King know when he’s being stupid.”_ Godzilla replied.

 _“Hmph, you’re right.”_ Maddie laughed, before it died. _“I can only tell you what I would do. If it were me… I’d destroy them. If it’s the only way to ensure less damage in the long run, absolutely.”_

 _“…Yeah.”_ Godzilla rumbled, smiling slightly despite himself. _“Thanks, Mads… do me a favor and send Mothra and Rodan my way just in case, okay? I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it when it comes down to it.”_

 _“Sure thing.”_ Maddie replied. _“I’ll see you when you get home, big guy. Love you!”_

Godzilla chuckled, thankful that Maddie was able to help.

Yet, that didn’t take the weight off his shoulders.

\----------

“Okay,” Stenz leaned over the assembled map, pointing at the tunnels. “The tunnels appear to lead here.” He tapped the drawing of a large, rounded chamber. “A nexus located under Central Park. We’ll send in Godzilla to deal with it, and finish everything up.”

“Alright, cool!” Dustin took note, sprinting out to relay the message to Godzilla.

El sat on a chair nearby, watching the soldiers return, as Mike sat down next to her.

“Hey.” Mike addressed.

El spared him only a glance. “Hey.”

“You wanna talk?” Mike asked.

El looked at him again, resisting the urge to grind her teeth. “Mike, I’m only going to tell you this once. This is not the conversation we had in the hospital. The problems aren’t being caused by Max, and they’re not going to go away overnight.”

“No, no, I know.” Mike sighed, feeling the ground tremble as Godzilla got the message, and began stomping over to Central Park, two helicopters from the _Defiant_ flying alongside. “It’s just… I know I sounded like an ass, and I wasn’t trying to give you an ultimatum.”

“But you did,” El crossed her arms, looking away, “And that’s what matters.”

“Yeah, I know.” Mike rubbed his face. “I just wanted to say… I’m sorry.”

El sighed. “I know you are.” If there was one thing that could be said about Mike, it’s that he at least he knew when he fucked up bad.

“So…” Mike hopefully began. “Did you think about what I said?”

El sighed. “Mike, you know I love you. You’re my best friend. But I have friends on Monster Island too. _Family._ Joyce, and Godzilla, and Maddie, and Mothra, and Rodan. I can’t leave all of them. Not even for you.”

“But…” Mike said. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” El replied. “But… we talk _every_ day. I know you’ve gotta be suffering for it.”

“I am suffering.” Mike replied, “By not being able to see you.”

El shook her head. In her mind, that cemented it. “Mike, I love you… but it has to _stop_.”

Mike looked utterly aghast. “What?”

El bit her lip, thinking. “Remember that day in the cabin, when you were going on about how you loved me? I said I heard all of it. _Including_ when you said we were on a break.”

“We were!”

“That should’ve been _my_ choice!” El retorted, looking to him. “I _said_ that I’d dumped you, and then you went right back around trying to say that we were still together! Do you have any idea how _disrespectful_ that was?”

\----------

“Oh, buddy!” Jane laughed, materializing a popcorn bucket out of thin air, “It’s heating up now!”

\----------

“I-I-“ Mike stuttered, “Of course I respect you!”

“No, Mike, you _don’t!”_ El poked him in the chest. “That ultimatum in the café! Constantly _expecting_ me to want to do everything that you do!”

“I-I don’t-“

“Really?” El asked right back, “Okay, then who’s idea was it for this entire trip, huh!? I know it wasn’t Dustin’s, and I know Lucas and Max wouldn’t have, and God knows _I_ didn’t push it forward! So, if it wasn’t them, then who was it, Mike!?”

“It-it was mine…” Mike admitted. “But that was just because I needed to see you!”

“Then you should’ve talked to me!” El angrily retorted. “Instead of _expecting_ me to just go along with it! And you shouldn’t have _expected_ me to drop everything and come back with you! Did you even _think_ about what you were suggesting when you asked that!?”

“Of course I thought about it!” Mike replied.

“No, Mike, you _didn’t!”_ El hissed. “You _didn’t think._ About where I was going to live, about how I was going to survive, about how there were _others_ who cared about me, you didn’t think about _any_ of it, only about how it was going to make things better for _you. That’s_ your problem. It’s always about either _you_ , or me in a way that leads back to you.”

“No, it’s not!”

“It is!” El shot back. “You don’t think about any of these things, not really! The _other day_ Maddie got kidnapped just because she looked like me! If Godzilla wasn’t able to protect her, how are _you_ going to protect me!? If you’d given it honest thought, you would remember that I’m being _hunted down._ ” El growled, throwing up her hands. “I can’t do this, Mike!” She frankly stated. “The constant calls, the trips… Until you can get a clue, it’s on hold!”

“O-On hold…?” Mike repeated.

“Our relationship.” El frankly stated. “You need to take a step back and think. Honestly, _think_. I love you, Mike… but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you be stupid, and it doesn’t mean that I’m going to be stupid either.”

“You’re _dumping_ me?” Mike asked incredulously.

El crossed her arms, looking away, before she nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“I-I-I can’t believe-!” Mike began, before an atrociously loud, deep roar split the air, and their attention was pulled back to Godzilla, who was stomping back in their direction. “What’s gotten into him!?”

“Guys!” Lucas came sprinting out. “We have a problem!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	7. Throw Away the Plan

“The eggs have hatched!” Dustin hysterically yelped as El and Mike crossed the threshold into the tent.

El’s eyes widened, concerned. “Hatched!?”

“Look!” Dustin pointed to a screen showing a camera feed from one of the choppers. At the bottom of the massive hole torn in Central Park, there lay hundreds of discarded, cracked eggshells, ripped open from the inside. And, more concerning, not a specimen in sight.

“Jesus…” Mike breathed. “Where’d they go!?”

“No clue.” Dustin answered, as Stenz quickly relayed orders to his troops. “They’re probably burrowing back to the mainland by now!”

“W-We,” El instantly steeled herself, “We can’t let them get away!” She stated, walking over to the map. “Has _anybody_ seen the babies?”

“No ma’am,” Another soldier with a southern accent relayed, “But the seismograph’s gone haywire. Manhattan’s sittin’ in the middle of a magnitude 2.0 earthquake and rising.”

Dustin and Lucas looked to each other. “Yep. They’re burrowing.”

“Hold on,” Max interjected, “Is that even _possible?_ Last I checked, newborns usually don’t have the strength to do shit like that!”

Steve inhaled. “They’re growing.” He guessed, turning all heads to him. “I-I mean, they have to be…”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Dustin began, “But Steve’s right.” At that admission, everybody turned to him looking expectant, as well as skeptical. “Think about it! There weren’t more than a couple of hundred eggs, all person sized. Now, I don’t care who you are or how many people you get, but things that size in those numbers just _can’t_ make disturbances like that!”

“Holy shit…” Mike breathed. “How big are they getting!?”

“I don’t know,” Dustin admitted, “But if I had to take a guess… Shit, they have to be getting to adult size by now!”

“That’s impossible!” Lucas scoffed.

“Dude, we’re dealing with _mutants!_ ” Dustin retorted, “And the shit we’ve seen, nothing’s impossible!”

“Henderson,” Stenz addressed, given that Dustin seemed to be the resident biology expert amongst the group. One would call him insane for going to a teenager, but given that he didn’t have any scientists on-site, he had to make do, “Say these creatures make it off Manhattan island. What level of damage are we looking at?”

“Well, since the big momma Zilla was pregnant without a male…” Dustin inhaled. “Worst-case scenario, we have to assume they’re born pregnant.”

Steve nodded in understanding, pointing. “Like Tribbles.”

The nerds all looked at him, shocked and surprised.

“What can I say?” Steve shrugged. “You shitheads are rubbing off on me.”

“…anyway,” Dustin continued, internally resolving to mercilessly tease Steve for it later. “If each one is born pregnant, can grow to adult size in a couple of hours, lays _hundreds_ of eggs, if just one survived and found somewhere to lay its eggs without interference… shit, I can’t even consider it.”

Stenz raised an eyebrow. “It’s that bad?”

“That bad _and_ that far-reaching.” Dustin said. “We’re talking massive drops in the ocean’s fish populations, surface cattle, hell any and all food. The economic devastation could start a worldwide Great Depression, and that’s not even _talking_ about the ecological effects.”

“Then we need to stop them here and now.” Stenz resolved. “Since they’re still burrowing, we can assume that they haven’t left the island, but that won’t stay true for long. We need some way to lure them up to the surface so Godzilla can deal with them.”

“Yeah, um… something tells me that fish isn’t gonna be fast enough to do this in time.” Dustin pointed out. It took them _hours_ to gather up the fish to lure Zilla out, and during that time, just her on her own was able to dig tunnels all under Manhattan. An army of Zillas in that time… they’d surely be able to hit the mainland.

“Then we need something faster.” Mike correctly guessed Dustin’s line of thinking. “…We had cameras and stuff pointed at Zilla the whole time she was up on land, right?”

“Yes,” Stenz raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Why?”

\----------

Mike’s plan, in El’s opinion, had been rather… rushed, admittedly. But, given that they were on a quick timetable, he could be forgiven.

Mike, in his reasoning, had explained that most animals followed hierarchal structures in the animal kingdom. Like wolves having a pack leader and so forth. Since Zilla responded to Godzilla’s roar that was meant to intimidate her with a challenging roar of her own, they could assume that whatever caused Zilla to mutate altered her behavior to become similar, and by extension, the behavior of her offspring.

The plan was this. Godzilla would let out an “Alpha Roar” into the tunnels, and the Zillas would either assume that whatever made it was down in the tunnels with them and flee to the surface right into Godzilla’s waiting presence, or they’d see it as a challenge, and rise to fight him.

Either way, however… Godzilla would be hopelessly outmatched.

“They’re like dogs compared to him!” Mike told El. “He’s got this!”

“ _Hundreds_ of dogs!” El refuted. “You fight one dog, and then tell me you can fight an entire pack!”

“They’re weak compared to him!” Mike replied. “He’s got fire breath and that pulse thing!”

“He can’t use it forever!” El replied. “They have the numbers!”

Godzilla finally got tired of the lovers’ spat, and growled, roaring just loud enough to make his presence and displeasure clear, and both finally shut up for once during this trip, looking to him.

 _“Look,”_ Godzilla narrowed his eyes, looking at them, well aware they wouldn’t understand him, but knowing that his body language could at least convey his general feeling. _“El, I get it, you’re worried about your giant monster big bro, thanks. Mike, you think I’m a total screaming badass which, yeah, is valid, so thanks for that too. I’m not gonna lie, it’s probably not going to be a fair fight, these usually never are, and if I was solely on my own, I’d be running for the hills. But, Mothra and Rodan are on their way. All I need to do is hold out until they show up, and then this’ll be easy-fucking-peasy.”_

El looked up at Godzilla, the mutant standing there proudly, confident in his own abilities as well as the abilities of his friends. “Yeah, okay… okay.” She nodded, sighing. “You can do this! You beat yourself in a fair fight, and you’re always pulling out new tricks!”

Godzilla laughed, shaking the earth even more. That, or it was the Zillas’ burrowing intensifying. Probably both. _“Yeah.”_ Godzilla nodded. _“I did. And you and I got out of that just fine, I’ll get out of this just fine too.”_ He turned to Mike, before jerking his clawed thumb to the tent. _“You guys get somewhere safe. Don’t know how much damage this is gonna cause.”_

“Right, okay.” Mike nodded. “Good luck!” He wished, running into the tent. El lingered for a moment, before she whispered the same to him, running in after Mike.

With that, Godzilla began to turn around, rolling his shoulders to warm up, as he walked back onto Manhattan island.

As he proceeded, he looked at the city’s skyline, and winced. Knowing his track record, by the end of the battle, all of these buildings would surely be gone.

Shame, because New York had tons of people who liked to gawk at him.

Regardless, Godzilla walked, moving in between the buildings as best he could, before reaching Central Park, and the massive hole he’d ripped an entrance into.

Drawing a breath, Godzilla leaned down close to the pit’s aperture, and let out the loudest, angriest screeching bellow he could muster, letting it echo into the tunnels for a few seconds. He wasn’t sure again if it was because of him or the Zillas, but the ground was shaking something fierce.

When Godzilla let his roar die, the shaking stopped, and he stayed there, looking into the pit, waiting to see if he needed to repeat the act.

Then, the ground began to tremor again. A loud, thundering crack emanated from behind him, and Godzilla stood tall, turning around to see.

Out of one split in the ground, a full-size Zilla was clawing its way out of the ground. Another crack split the earth, and next to it, another Zilla began to emerge. Soon, the ground was shaking like there was no tomorrow, and all across Manhattan, the same thing happened.

Enormous cracks split the streets and the foundations of buildings, out of each one emerged a Zilla, growling and snarling ferally.

They’d grown to full-size, but they were starving. And here was a fresh new food source able to feed them.

The Zillas emerged fully, and now, the shaking of the ground was caused by the footfall of the lifeforms on the surface, the underground tunnels squarely empty.

Godzilla couldn’t count all of them. Not really. According to what he was told, the soldiers had counted hundreds of eggs, and to him right now, that number seemed correct. A sea of rocky, black spikes attached to the backs of pale green-blue monsters filled Manhattan, each one looking at Godzilla with the same, starved eyes.

Perhaps they were waiting for him to run. Maybe they were waiting to make sure that all were on the surface so they could kill him. Either way, they hadn’t started attacking yet, which he was grateful for.

Well, somewhat grateful. Grateful because it signaled to him that his normal style of fighting was no longer going to work so he had at least time enough to prepare for that, but at the same time, ungrateful because it meant a sea of death was staring him in the face.

Either way… he was into it now. No coming back.

Clenching his fists, Godzilla began to charge his dorsal spines, and the Zillas took that as their cue to attack.

The earth thundered and quaked, buildings being knocked through and toppled over as the wave of mutants charged in from all directions. Smoke and dust billowed in the air, shrouding all of the figures present. The Zillas at the very front of the charge roared, opening their massive jaws, ready to take a bite of their new prey, before Godzilla’s spines flashed, and a shockwave of blue power lanced out, pushing back the other mutants, as well as the pollutants masking their battle.

 _“Come on, you filthy animals!”_ Godzilla roared, posturing himself as the mutants over the back climbed over their dead comrades, some hanging back to feast on the deceased. _“You want a piece of me? You’re gonna have to_ earn _it!”_

The Zilla’s now at the front screeched, leaping into the air, trying to tackle Godzilla to the ground. As some landed upon him, he stood tall, swooping his tail around to knock those still approaching from the ground down. Godzilla bellowed, reaching up to pull the ones trying to rush him off by force.

The first one he was able to pull off was sent flying, being thrown into a building with a pained scream. As the others got momentarily distracted, Godzilla charged his spines again, and let out yet another nuclear pulse, stemming the flow of the horde for another short moment.

The Zillas finally cottoned onto his tactics, however, and responded with their own. Each one’s spines flashed, turning Manhattan into a sea of pulsing blue bioluminescence, before they let out one last massive flash. Another EMP meant to cripple him.

Godzilla felt his entire body go numb for a moment but opened himself to absorb the radiation. If he fell now, he’d be ripped to shreds. Godzilla felt movement become difficult for a few moments, but soon returned to normal, facing down the horde with that same determination.

They were charging at him again, and fueled by the power he’d absorbed from the EMP, began to charge his spines again.

He was in for a rude awakening, however, as one Zilla slammed into his back, clawing and biting into the dorsal spines.

Godzilla howled, trying to buck the Zilla off. With the power flowing through the spines, it might as well have felt like weak flesh being rended. In his blind panic, nerves flaring up with pain, he couldn’t focus well enough to get the pulse out through his spines, and it reflexively all lanced out through his mouth as atomic breath. A couple of Zillas were taken down by the beam, but the vast majority continued, and with the same vengeance as before, leapt onto him.

Godzilla felt their sharp teeth puncture his flesh, glowing blue blood dripping from the wounds as the Zillas tried pulling his flesh from his bone, pushing one another out of the way to gain purchase. The pain became too much, and he fell to the ground, screeching in agony.

He hadn’t _wanted_ a brutal death… but he shouldn’t have expected anything else.

Godzilla screwed his eyes shut, trying to get his spines charged again to no success. It was all becoming too much now. The pain of feeling his flesh pulled apart, the Zillas’ mad screeching as they tried to devour him alive, all of it… he just wanted it to end.

But just when it appeared to almost be over, a supremely loud trilling filled the air, and a small, moving sun broke the cloud cover.

Mothra screeched, breaking through the clouds and glowing with fury, as all of the Zillas’ attention were now focused at her.

The Zillas all abandoned the rapidly-bleeding Godzilla for the moment, waiting for Mothra to get close to the ground so they could feast upon her flesh as well, when _another_ call filled the air.

A furious squawk overtook the Zillas, as Rodan plunged down from above, swooping over the island. The beating of his wings, combined with the immense heat he produced as well as his incredible speed, created a Jetstream suction with his motion, powerful enough to pull the Zillas out of the way, as Mothra landed next to Godzilla.

Mothra held her wings out, as she walked over to Godzilla. _“Oh, you poor, poor child. You’ve been through quite the ringer, haven’t you?”_

 _“Y-Yeah…”_ Godzilla weakly grunted. _“If you could help me out… that’d be great.”_

 _“Say no more.”_ Mothra replied, as her wings began to glow. Directing the energies down at Godzilla, she watched as his wounds seemingly stitched themselves, the blood and viscera vanishing entirely, as Godzilla’s flesh was restored.

The light dying, Godzilla got up to his feet, shaking off the residual disorientation. _“Thanks. You and Rodan showed up just in time. Another second and…”_

 _“Don’t mention it!”_ Rodan replied, swooping back overhead, as a few city blocks were taken down by the force of his wake. _“Seriously, don’t! I’ll be mentioning it plenty of times!”_

 _“Sarcastic ass.”_ Godzilla muttered, shaking his head.

 _“Alright,”_ Rodan landed nearby, letting the residual wind current knock around the Zillas. The recently-hatched mutants all let out angered cries as they got back to their feet, and the Monster Island Trio assembled into a circle, looking around. _“What’s the plan?”_

 _“Kill every last one.”_ Godzilla answered, angry himself at the Zillas trying to kill him.

 _“Yeah, okay.”_ Rodan rolled his head, trying to crack his knuckles. _“I can do that.”_

 _“What about you,”_ Godzilla looked to Mothra, _“You think you can kill them?”_

 _“If you’re worried about my status as the Mother of All Life interfering with my better judgement,”_ Mothra began in reply, turning to him. _“Every mother knows when to punish her children.”_

 _“Good…”_ Godzilla turned to look at the snarling, rage-filled Zillas glaring in their direction. _“Alright chums… Let’s do this.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	8. The Monster Island Trio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you guys have been wanting to see Rodan in action. Welp... here he is.

The air was tense, charged with anger on both sides, as neither made the first move.

The Zillas growled, narrowing their eyes. They stomped their feet almost like sumo wrestlers, daring the Monster Island Trio to make the first move.

Godzilla barred his teeth, growling, as Mothra and Rodan stood by his side.

The Zillas let out a single, unified screech, charging forward, and Godzilla began to charge as well, Mothra and Rodan leaping into the air to fly alongside.

Godzilla roared, raising a fist as he ran. Once he got close, he brought it down, slamming into the lead Zilla’s head. The mutant roared, slamming into the ground as Godzilla put his foot down on top, crushing the head.

The others came sprinting at him, snarling and screeching with a fury. Godzilla clenched his fists, and charged his atomic breath, firing it out in a sweeping beam towards the approaching mutants. The Zillas struck by the beam howled, falling to the ground charred and smoking.

The wind currents sharply changed, as overhead, Mothra and Rodan split up, splitting the Zillas up and leading the groups in different directions.

\----------

The horrendous mutants clawed and crawled over each other, as Mothra just barely flew high enough to avoid them. Weaving around corners and in between buildings, the moth spotted two tall, blocky towers down the road, and got an idea.

She fired her silk, forming an enormous web in between the towers, and she charged at it, letting the Zillas get tantalizingly close, just close enough so that they’d keep their speed trying to snap at her.

At the very last moment before she hit the web, Mothra shot up, and the Zillas closest to her rammed straight into the web, getting caught in the silky strands while the others, no longer caring about their comrades, only that there was easy food, began to tear into the ones caught in the webbing.

 _“Oh,”_ Mothra gagged, maintaining her position for a few moments. _“How unpleasant.”_ She commented, as a few of the Zillas still alive tried kicking in vain to get out of the webbing.

Mothra let out a shrill trill, reminding the mutants that she was still there, before charging back down the street, the chase resuming.

\---------

Rodan, meanwhile, was instead focusing on delivering punishment to the Zillas that had followed him in a different manner. Once he’d led them to a position he was comfortable with, the enormous Firebird began to swoop back and forth.

His first strafing over the swarm knocked them to the ground. The second kept them from getting back up. The third started knocking them around. And from then on, each successive movement over the group contributed to a system of air forming.

The last time Rodan did anything like that was… Hell, it must’ve been his big fight with Anguirus before Mothra and Battra went and had their spat and knocked everybody asleep.

…where was he? Oh, right.

With each pass through the area, the winds built, until finally, Rodan was satisfied with the strength of the winds, and took a different maneuver. It looked at first like he was going for yet another swooping attack over the battlefield, but at the last moment, he stopped dead in his tracks, floating in the air.

With a predatory screech, Rodan beat his wings, and the glowing-hot magma on their edges reached blistering levels, even to him, as they blasted out heat straight into the atmosphere.

The heat cascaded in the air, and within moments, sparked, lighting a fire in the dust and debris picked up by the air currents. The fire and the rushing currents of wind combined, forming a spinning cyclone of blazing orange, destroying and burning all in its path.

Rodan didn’t count himself a particularly sadistic or cruel being, but he did relish the sight of his creation spinning around, consuming the horde of little mutants and the buildings around them.

If Godzilla was the King of the Monsters… Rodan might as well have been the King of Fire.

\-----------

“Holy shit…” Steve breathed, staring at the carnage going down on the island. Rodan’s fiery tornado tore into the Chrysler Building, consuming it in one go and leaving nothing behind, while Mothra used her webbing in between the towers of the WTC as a sort of sideways trampoline to catapult herself into the charging hordes below, using herself as a kind of a makeshift bowling ball.

“They’re doing it…” El breathed, looking on in awe as well, before her smile became too much to hold back. “They’re doing it!”

\----------

“NO!” Jane snarled, slamming her fist down in frustration as she saw the three becoming victorious in their fight back against the mutants. “THAT’S NOT FAIR!” She raged, making a point to throw her chair over in her fury to accentuate her point.

“My love,” Gojira tried gently placing a hand on her shoulder, only to be met with the furious eyes of his other half, glowing red. “Keep calm.”

“NO!” Jane replied. “I CAN’T KEEP CALM! Those…” She struggled, shaking furiously. “BASTARDS KEEP BESTING US!”

“Relax…” He murmured to her, voice low and rumbly. He grabbed her attention fully, waving away the sight of the battle. “They’ll be victorious… for _now_. But we’ll find some other way to make them hurt.” He said, as her eyes began to lose their rage. “Until then… forget about them. And focus on _me…_ ”

Jane steeled her jaw, looking at the place where the image had been floating, before all the tension melted away. “Yes… yes, you’re right.” She smiled sultrily, before her eyes narrowed one last time, “But I _will_ be back for seconds…”

\----------

Godzilla’s roar rang throughout New York as one of the Zillas leapt into the air, arcing down towards him. His hand shot out and he grabbed the thing by the neck, slamming it into the ground on its back with such force that its spines outright _shattered_ like glass.

Tempering the urge to use his atomic breath at full power, he instead settled for just using it to burn through flesh, saving as much of his power as he could for the others.

That was easier said than done, admittedly. There couldn’t have been more than two hundred, three hundred at the very most, but they just kept coming like a tidal wave.

Unlike the last round, however… Godzilla felt confident in his success now. With Mothra and Rodan at his side, he had a very good chance at ending this here and now.

A Zilla snarled, trying to bite down into Godzilla’s flesh, but the King of the Monsters reacted swiftly, responding by chomping down into the monster’s throat, ripping it out.

 _“Oh, blech.”_ Godzilla shook his head in disgust, throwing the body to the side, before he stomped down on a Zilla trying to crawl in from below.

Their numbers were thinning, and Mothra and Rodan were more than pulling their weight.

It was just a matter of time, now.

\----------

Rodan rather liked fighting in the city. There were so many creative uses for the humans’ structures dotted about. As a line of the swarming mockeries tried to pursue him, he rewarded their blind fervent pursual of him by knocking down one of the buildings right on top of the group, using the time afforded to send down scalding heat into the immobile monsters, cooking them alive.

At the same time, while the others tried to get back up after being knocked down by the force of his wings, he snapped at them, tearing through their flesh with his razor-sharp beak.

…In all actuality, he was rather surprised by the flavor. It was rather pleasant, admittedly.

Still, not something he’d want as his _preferred_ type of meat.

Rodan moved swiftly and steadily, fighting each approaching Zilla with the same swiftness and maneuverability he carried in the air.

In truth, he had the advantage, having a working brain _and_ being able to fight on land as well as in the air.

Monster after monster went for him, to have their flesh baked alive before being left to the ground. Small firestorms, wind cyclones, and more were all generated as Rodan fought, the roaring of the wind and monsters doing well to push him forward.

Before long, however, he noticed the Zillas had stopped coming for him.

Rodan, finally breaking free of his battle-stupor, took a look at the destruction he’d caused.

The group of Zillas that had gone after him, what must have been anywhere from fifty to a hundred, lay dead on the ground, surrounded by epitaphs made out of the destroyed buildings of Manhattan.

Rodan nodded to himself in pride, before taking flight yet again.

It wasn’t over. Not yet.

\----------

Mothra, meanwhile, was doing similarly well. The Zillas chasing after her had given up on trying to grab her in the air, instead settling for trying to blast her with their own, strange mimicry of Godzilla’s atomic breath.

It didn’t matter what the weapon was, however. It still worked the same. And if it worked the same, that worked in Mothra’s favor.

She swooped over, releasing her reflective scales into the air, watching as the sparkling gold cloud enveloped her pursuers.

In a moment, their own breath was captured by the small, reflective surfaces, and bounced back upon them from all angles in a green glow that illuminated the night.

The remaining stragglers were then easy to deal with. The Zillas’ true strength was in their maneuverability and numbers.

Take the numbers away, pit them against monsters like Godzilla and Mothra, and that would be the end of that.

Mothra held position in the air, her eyes glowing with power. As she stared down at the monsters below, beams of pure, white light lanced out from her eyes, slicing into the Zillas.

Blinking, Mothra looked, surveying the area before noting all of the Zillas that had chased after her were now gone.

A shame, to have to kill so many new lifeforms. But it had to be done. There was no peaceful resolution they could come to in time.

With that, Mothra darted forward, on course back to Godzilla.

\--------

The King of the Monsters was just wrapping things up when Rodan and Mothra had returned to him.

One final Zilla was crawling along on the ground, howling in pain, before Godzilla put a swift end to his suffering.

He took a good, long look around. At the devastation these creatures had wrought, that _they_ had wrought, turning Manhattan into little more than a gravel pit.

Sighing, Godzilla slammed down onto the ground, sitting as he let out a long-lasting sigh of relief. _“That’s it… they’re dead.”_

 _“Yes, and not a moment too soon.”_ Rodan commented, picking something out from underneath one of his talons, before flicking it away. _“I was starting to get rather bored with the killing. Now,”_ Rodan clasped his hands, a human gesture that neither Godzilla or Mothra could guess where he picked up, _“Shall we return home and refuel as it were? I’m thinking a Baka Fruit feast.”_

Godzilla let out a rumble, shaking his head slowly before he looked to Mothra. _“Are we_ sure _they’re all dead?”_

 _“Ye-“_ Mothra began to respond, suddenly cutting herself off as her eyes narrowed, _“Wait… I’m sensing something. It’s similar, but different.”_

 _“Great…”_ Godzilla stood back up. _“Where is it?”_

 _“This way.”_ Mothra directed, taking the lead.

\------------

“What are they doing?” Stenz inquired, looking at the sight curiously.

“I don’t know.” El tilted her head. “It looks like they’re… looking for something.”

\-----------

After only a few seconds of walking, they came across what Mothra had sensed. There, at the bottom of the nest in Central Park, lay one egg, unhatched, that had been masked by the cracked eggshells around it.

 _“Another egg!?”_ Godzilla’s eyes went wide. _“How’d we miss that!?”_

 _“Don’t worry, I won’t miss this time!”_ Rodan took a deep breath, ready to blow it away.

 _“Hold it just a damn second!”_ Godzilla commanded, cutting Rodan off at the pass, before turning to Mothra. _“Did they already lay more eggs?”_ He demanded, no nonsense.

 _“…I don’t believe so.”_ Mothra tilted her head, examining it. _“It appears this egg simply… did not hatch.”_

 _“Why?”_ Godzilla asked.

 _“I’m not sure.”_ Mothra replied. _“It’s perfectly healthy and stable, it just… chose not to. Hm.”_

 _“Who cares about the why!?”_ Rodan squawked. _“Smash it! Smash it and crush it and-“_

 _“Rodan, quiet!”_ Godzilla bellowed, shutting the firebird up instantly. Rodan, mercifully, went silent, and Godzilla turned to the nest, reaching down to pick up the undamaged egg as carefully as he could. _“It’s not dead?”_

 _“No.”_ Mothra confirmed. _“Why?”_

 _“…they reproduce asexually…”_ Godzilla recalled, looking down at it. _“As long as even one specimen survives… the species can continue.”_

Rodan looked absolutely incredulous. _“You can’t be serious!”_

 _“I am.”_ Godzilla rumbled.

 _“You’ve killed_ lots _of unique monsters!”_ Rodan retorted. _“What makes this so different!?”_

 _“…none of them were able to propagate their species.”_ Godzilla reasoned, turning to Mothra. _“You have experience with altering lifeforms, right? Would it be possible to… tweak this little guy so he doesn’t cause ecological disasters?”_

 _“…It would be little more difficult than a human correcting a spelling mistake.”_ Mothra answered, slowly following along. _“But why would you consider such a thing?”_

Godzilla notably kept quiet for a few seconds, staring down at the egg. _“We already killed all the others. This one’s just an egg… a clean slate. The other ones were feral, but maybe… maybe we can help this one be better.”_

Rodan scoffed. _“So, you want to put nature versus nurture to the test?”_

 _“It’d be better than condemning an entire species to extinction.”_ Godzilla argued. _“If evolution works its magic… they’ll find their niche. Eventually.”_

Mothra held her head up for a few moments, before nodding. “ _Very well. The risks--and consequences--are yours.”_

 _“Oh?”_ Godzilla raised an eyebrow. _“Haven’t you heard the old expression?”_

Mothra tilted her head curiously. _“What expression?”_

 _“It takes a village to raise a child.”_ Godzilla replied. _“Or, in this case… the only two other good monsters on the island.”_

_“…Oh, fuck me.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That last line was INTENDED to be spoken by Rodan, but after writing it, i realized it implies that Mothra is the one who drops the f-bomb.
> 
> So you can read it either way. Whichever one makes you happy.
> 
> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


	9. Dadzilla

“…I can’t believe this.” Mike frustratedly shook his head. Once they’d verified that, yes, the egg Godzilla had recovered was the _only_ one left, they all headed home. Or rather, back to El’s home.

Monster Island was a big place, and beautiful, filled with all sorts of tropical wildlife and picturesque features. Had they known about it last time they properly talked to El, the Party would’ve planned to take their vacation there instead of going to New York.

“All that trouble, and he still took the egg?” Mike continued, looking on as Godzilla built a tiny protective nest around the egg.

“He said Mothra fixed things so when it hatches, it won’t lay so many eggs.” Maddie explained looking between her boyfriend and Mike. “And it’ll only be able to lay eggs _once_. No more invasive species.”

“Good, that’s good.” Dustin nodded in satisfaction, watching with curiosity as Godzilla finished putting the last details on the nest. “I’ve never seen him act anything like that.” He remarked.

“Neither have I.” Maddie replied, looking to Godzilla as well. She hadn’t thought she would see doting fatherhood this early into their proper relationship, but it was quite… well, not _funny_ , but approaching it. Here you have a five-hundred-foot long lizard spazzing out because he doesn’t know _quite_ what to do.

Godzilla took one last look at the accommodations he’d set up, and took a few steps back, looking at the egg. The air around it remained still, but he could sense _something_ in the atmosphere as the activity in the egg increased.

Already? Well, the new one was excited, if nothing else.

 _“Alright, you guys, stand back.”_ Godzilla ordered, putting himself in between the egg and onlookers.

Maddie relayed the message, and they did as such, standing behind Godzilla’s enormous legs, peeking out to see what was happening.

The egg twitched and minutely quaked, before the shell split and a long scaly snout poked through, clearing the rest of it.

The newborn cleared the rest of its shell, shaking its pale beige head, before opening its beady eyes, looking around. It looked up at Godzilla, tilting its head, before chittering.

 _“No!”_ Godzilla yelped. _“I’m not your mother!”_

The baby Zilla walked, stepping out of its egg, shaking off all the fluid from within as it walked around curiously. It hadn’t gone feral, not yet. Mothra had explained why the others were so vicious was because their bodies prioritized growth first, instead of collecting food. Essentially, they starved themselves mad trying to grow to full-size without collecting the fuel for it first.

Not this one. Godzilla made sure well in advance to have plenty of food laid out, and even if he hadn’t, that was another thing Mothra had corrected

The baby walked over to the giant fruit laying in piles on the ground, and took a massive bite out of it, looking like it enjoyed the food immensely, even without human features.

“Awwww….” El cooed, looking at the sight.

The baby’s head perked up, turning in their direction.

“Uh oh…” Lucas muttered, as it began to walk in their direction. Godzilla, notably, did not try to scare it off, instead, he just let it come.

“Nobody move!” Maddie hissed quietly, trying not to scare it. “It doesn’t think we’re a threat. Don’t give it a reason to.”

The baby stared holes into each of them as it walked, clicking curiously as it examined each one. Eventually, it found Maddie, and began to sniff her. Before it promptly began to nuzzle at her, purring and closing its eyes as it made the affectionate gesture.

Maddie was thrown-off balance, sure, but far gladder it wasn’t trying to eat her. “Uh, G?” She directed to Godzilla. “What’s it doing?”

 _“He-“_ Godzilla snorted, trying to hold back laughter. _“He thinks you’re his-“_

“Oh, don’t you fucking say it.”

 _“Mother.”_ Godzilla finished.

“…” Maddie sighed frustratedly, before finally returning the baby’s affections by petting him on the head. She glanced at Godzilla, scowling. “Are you _sure_ that’s what he’s thinking?”

 _“He’s purring and he just keeps saying ‘mama.’”_ Godzilla sardonically replied. _“Yeah, I’m sure.”_

“My dad is so not going to be happy.” Maddie shook her head.

 _“Hey, better you than me.”_ Godzilla replied.

Maddie’s frown deepened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 _“At least the actual_ female _has the title.”_ Godzilla rumbled.

Maddie sighed, shaking her head, before turning to the others. “Come on, guys. It’s safe.” She told them.

With that, the party walked over, beginning to make contact with the baby mutant as well.

“He’s so cold…” Max remarked, as she stroked his scales.

“And…” Lucas pulled away his hand, looking at it with thinly veiled disgust. “Slimy.”

“He’s got spikes!” Dustin chuckled, looking at the infantile dorsal spines sticking out. “That’s rad!”

“His mouth is huge…” Mike worriedly stared at it, as El’s hand wandered just a _bit_ too close to the jowls for his liking.

“His eyes are so pretty…” El breathed, looking at the oddly-structured sapphire-blue irises surveying the area.”

“…He needs a name.” Dustin stated, turning the focus onto him. “What? We can’t just keep calling him ‘the baby.’”

“Yeah, yeah…” Maddie agreed, nodding. “Naming committee is now in session. I,” She gestured to herself, “Formally propose Maddie Junior.”

“He’s a dude, Maddie.” Lucas shot back. “I’ve got a better one: Godzilla Junior.”

 _“Oh no,”_ Godzilla rumbled, shaking his head, _“I’m not keeping my name attached to it if it all goes south.”_

Maddie relayed that message, waiting for the others to speak up.

“Godzooky!” Mike pointed, acting like he had an epiphany, causing everybody to look at him like he was stupid.

 _“FUCK NO!”_ Godzilla bellowed.

“…I was thinking…” Dustin finally spoke up, “d'Artagnan.”

Max looked to him with dripping sarcasm. “After your demodog that nearly killed us all? No.”

“…Actually,” Maddie spoke up. “I kind of like it… Dart.”

“Well, Dart the _Second_ ,” Dustin corrected, “Cause the first Dart was a demodog who helped us in the tunnels under Hawkins when- nevermind, I’ll stop talking.”

Maddie shook her head, but attentively rubbed the baby’s scales on both sides of his jaw, making sure he was looking at her. “Whaddya think, little guy? Dart.”

The baby again purred, trying to make contact with Maddie.

 _“I think if it comes from you,”_ Godzilla addressed, _“He couldn’t care less about what he’s called.”_

Maddie smiled, looking at the newly named baby. “Alright then. You’ll be Dart.”

\----------

Before long, however, it was time for the party to head out. They’d only planned to be in New York for the weekend, and that time was almost up.

Their parents would be expecting them back soon.

While the others loaded up into the helicopter, Mike stayed outside, looking to El.

“…are you sure you don’t wanna come?” Mike finally, quietly asked.

El sighed, shaking her head. “I’ve already explained my reasons. We need the break. Plain and simple.”

“…I love you.” Mike gulped.

“I know you do.” El replied. “…But this isn’t just about you.” She told him, working up the nerve to go on. “It’s about me too. _I_ need the time too.”

“To what?” Mike asked. “To think about if you love me?” He pressed.

“…if that’s what it takes.” El answered.

“El… you’re breaking my heart.” Mike chokingly replied.

“…sometimes,” El began quietly, “If a bone is broken and it’s not set the right way before healing, it’ll heal wrong. And the only way to get it to heal the right way is to break it again first. I’m sorry, Mike.” She apologized, “But we have problems. We can’t ignore them anymore.”

“…if that’s how you feel…”

El regretfully shrugged. “It’s the facts…”

Mike slowly, blankly nodded as he turned away, finally climbing into the helicopter with the rest. The rotors started up, blowing the air around as it began to lift off the pad, taking into the sky.

El stared up at it and tried not to feel hurt.

He didn’t even say goodbye.

\----------

“…Well,” Jane tilted her head, looking upon the scene. Her heart went out to her double, and she wanted nothing more than to be there to help her but being trapped in an infinite void kind of put a damper on that plan.

“I can’t say this plan has been a _total_ failure.” She continued, watching as El silently skulked back into the base, before shutting herself in her room, away from the rest of the room. “She cut Mike out of the picture, at least.” She smiled, relishing in the idea that the Wheeler boy was suffering.

“Maybe this time,” Gojira suggested, materializing next to her, “It’ll stick, unlike when Hopper tried to get involved.”

“Oh, we can only hope.” Jane replied. “Well… not _only_ hope. Hope is for people who can’t move mountains.”

Gojira looked to her, raising an eyebrow. “What’re you suggesting?”

“We have Mike cut off from her now.” Jane elaborated. “No Godzilla, no El to save the day… he’s a sitting duck.”

“…I see.” Gojira smiled. “What’re you suggesting?”

Jane turned, as the image shifted to a scene from the past. Well, the past from Godzilla’s perspective, for those in the void however, time was meaningless. They could see any series of events from anywhere.

The view showed Godzilla, spines glowing blue protectively, facing off against an enormous three-headed golden dragon.

“This was the most powerful foe Godzilla had ever faced.” Jane exposited, looking at the scene with admiration. “And the only reason they failed was because they let their pride get the better of them. But _we-“_ She held up a finger, “Won’t make that same mistake.”

“…Jane,” Gojira addressed, “You’d better lay it out frankly, cause I don’t follow.”

Jane huffed, rolling her eyes. “I suggest we find a few of the disparate Els laying about the cosmos, the ones who hate Mike like myself, for whatever reason…”

“And make _them_ into a new Ghidorah?” Gojira finished. “That’s insane.”

“It is.” Jane granted, turning away. “But one plan’s already failed me. If this one works… not only does Mike die faster than Godzilla can save him, but Godzilla himself gets put out of the picture.”

Gojira stood silently, before chuckling. “…I like it.”

“I knew you would.” Jane smiled, looking away. “Time to get to work…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be my [Tumblr](https://d0ct0rp004ndtheturdis.tumblr.com/)


End file.
